Whitacre reshuffle moves up women, younger talent

SOUTHFIELD, Michigan: General Motors Co Chairman Ed Whitacre turned to a new team that includes younger executives and more women as he tries to overhaul the automaker's "inbred" culture and halt annual losses dating to 2005.

Engineering chief Mark Reuss, 46, was promoted to president of GM's North American operations and Susan Docherty, 47, one of three women promoted, added marketing to her sales duties. Vice-Chairman Bob Lutz, 77, ceded those responsibilities and will be an advisor to Whitacre.

"It's a signal they are serious about getting younger people in and running the place right," said Thomas Stallkamp, 63, industrial partner at buyout firm Ripplewood Holdings LLC and a member of the team that helped restructure Chrysler Corp in the 1990s. "This is a culture that was so inbred, so genteel, people were afraid to speak up."