General Motors has just announced the appointment of a new Managing Director of its Australian and New Zealand operations (GMANZ) effective 1st September, 2023.
It is interesting that Ms Bala will be taking over the local operation at a time when it is strongly rumoured GMSV, the sales arm of GMANZ, will be selling Cadillac electric vehicles in Australia in the not-too-distant future. The Cadillac Lyriq has been seen testing in the US in RHD configuration, and the name has been trademarked in Australia along with other Cadillac models, the Escalade IQ and the Optiq.
As Managing Director of GMANZ, Bala will be in charge of all its divisions which are GMSV, Customer Care and Aftersales, Chevrolet Racing and Isuzu New Zealand. The GMSV section of the operation currently sells the Chevrolet Corvette and Silverado through a network of dealers in a very successful operation that has trouble catering to the high demand for their vehicles.
Australian Jess Bala will be taking over the lead role at GMANZ from the current incumbent, Marc Ebolo. Bala started her career at Holden in 2009 as a District Sales Manager before moving into Product Planning. She relocated to Detroit in 2013, where her most recent role has been Director of Global Product Planning & Product Strategy for Cadillac. Ms Bala oversaw the introduction of the Cadillac Lyriq in The US and China.
Marc Ebolo, who has been the chief of GMANZ since late 2020, will remain with GM and will become the Director of Sales in the Middle East. “I am honoured to welcome Jess, a native of Australia, back home…” said Ebolo, “I am confident that under Jess’ leadership, the team and business will thrive.”
One of Ms Bala’s duties as leader of Chevrolet Racing in Australia, will be to oversee the return of the Chevrolet Camaro to Australia’s iconic motorsport event, the Repco Bathurst 1000.