Cadillac's new global chief Robert Ferguson comes to GM from the telcomm world.
Cadillac is getting a new boss as General Motors names senior executive Robert E. Ferguson to lead “the global growth” and development of the company’s premium luxury brand.
Ferguson’s position is a new one and underscores the importance GM Chief Executive Officer Dan Akerson is placing on finally transforming Cadillac into a true global competitor for German luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and fast-growing Audi.
Perhaps not so coincidentally, GM also announced more details about its plans for launching the new XTS compact luxury sedan in China, a critical step in Caddy’s efforts to grow beyond North America’s borders.
In the newly created position of vice president, global Cadillac, Ferguson will be responsible for marketing, brand management and advertising for Cadillac in markets around the world, GM said. Ferguson’s appointment is effective immediately and he will report directly to GM chairman and CEO Dan Akerson. Responsibility for actual sales is also expected to transition to Ferguson in the new year, GM officials said.
“Bob is a proven leader with vision and a will to win at this critical time for Cadillac,” said Akerson. “He brings a deep business and marketing background that has been marked by delivering results at every stop and under every circumstance. The Cadillac brand will hit a higher gear under his watch,” he said.
Ferguson’s appointment comes at a time when GM’s premium luxury brand is planning the most extensive round of product launches and upgrades in its history, and is poised to enter new international markets with industry-leading products like the XTS, ATS and SRX.
“The key is how do we exploit the strongest Cadillac brand in years?” said GM spokesman Greg Martin. “When you look at the whole business, it’s time for Cadillac to have its own discrete team.”
The U.S. vice president for Cadillac marketing, Don Butler, and the U.S. vice president for Cadillac sales and service, Chase Hawkins, now will report to Ferguson as he begins building out his global team.
“I’m excited to join a talented team during a period of revitalized growth,” said Ferguson. “The opportunity to strengthen and grow Cadillac is ours for the taking. More people in new markets will experience what makes Cadillac one of the industry’s most revered brands.”
Nevertheless, Ferguson’s background is bound to cause a stir since he is taking over responsibility for a key automotive brand without any background in automotive sales and marketing.
The 53-year-old executive joined GM only in 2010 after a career in the telecommunications industry – not so coincidentally where many recent GM senior hires, including CEO Akerson, came from. Ferguson is currently GM vice president for global public policy. He is credited with helping GM strengthen its position and voice on Capitol Hill, following the company’s 2009 bankruptcy.
In that role, Ferguson has become particularly familiar with GM’s product portfolio and advanced technology plans as the automaker contends with new fuel economy rules and safety regulations, Martin noted.
Prior to joining GM, Ferguson was at the business advisory and strategic communications firm Public Strategies, where he worked with a diverse and international group of clients as a senior strategist. His work with the firm included providing international relations and crisis counsel to the president of the International Olympic Committee during the period leading up to and during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, as well as leading strategy around several high-profile and complex financial and merger and acquisition transactions.
Before joining Public Strategies, Ferguson spent more than 10 years as an executive at AT&T, most recently as the president of state legislative and regulatory affairs. He also gained a depth of experience on the sales side of the business, as group president and CEO of SBC’s Enterprise Business Services. In that role, he had responsibility for 10,000 employees, which was one of the nation’s largest sales and engineering organizations at the time.
Even before Ferguson checks into his new office, Cadillac is already working on its global expansion plans. Much of the initial effort is centered around the brand’s two most recent model line additions, the XTS and ATS. The latter product is targeting the likes of the venerable BMW 3-Series and winning strong reviews in the process.
The maker will market both of those new models in China and is preparing to begin building the XTS there, as well. For that booming market, Cadillac has announced, it will offer a pair of engines including the 3.0-liter V-6 used in the States, as well as a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four that is found in the smaller ATS model in the U.S.