Heralding the vision of a sustainable future, Mary Barra has transformed General Motors (GM) since taking over in 2014, with the introduction of Electric Vehicles (EVs) and innovations in autonomous systems. These policies, together with shifting GM’s focus toward mobility service systems, encapsulate the conglomerate’s future mobility strategy.

Early Life and Education

Barra was born on the 24th of December, 1961, in Royal Oak, Michigan. Hailing from a family with robust ties to General Motors, Barra’s father was a die-maker in one of the Pontiac plants for over four decades. Mary has strong reverberations of the automotive industry and already possesses considerable insight into the infrastructures of manufacturing engineering, the industry she plans to major in.

Kettering University, then known as General Motors Institute, was Barra’s choice for education after winning a scholarship. She graduated in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering. Her coursework was complemented by a GM-sponsored co-op, which was mandatory for engineering students. She was an eyewitness to the company’s engineering and production systems through the co-op program. Thus, she has significant insight into the company, which undoubtedly made her more industry-ready.

This stems from her interest in business and leadership, which led to her earning an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1990, attending under a GM fellowship. These degrees in engineering and business were instrumental in giving her the edge within the company.

Career at General Motors

Mary Barra first laid the groundwork for her career at General Motors (GM) in 1980 as a co-op student. She worked as a student intern at GM, financing her education by inspecting fender panels and hoods. Subsequently, she moved through various engineering and administrative positions, accumulating experience in diverse departments.

Some of her key leadership roles included:

Vice President of Global Manufacturing Engineering – She implemented changes that improved manufacturing and reduced the cost of vehicle production.
Senior Vice President of Global Product Development – She led major shifts in vehicle design and engineering by streamlining vehicle platforms.
Head of Human Resources – She overhauled HR policies to help modernize GM’s corporate culture and business environment.

Her capacity to manage complex and large-scale projects and execute reforms on outdated systems made her one of the most powerful executives at GM. This played a role in the decision to promote her to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GM.

Becoming GM’s CEO

Leadership Transition

In December 2013, it was reported that General Motors would be appointing Mary Barra to serve as the company’s new CEO starting January 15, 2014, replacing Daniel Akerson. With this, she made history as the first woman to serve as the CEO of a major international automotive company, which was a landmark moment in the automotive industry. Her appointment also ended the long-lasting GM tradition of choosing a CEO from the company’s finance division, suggesting a new era of product leadership at the car manufacturer.

Crisis Management and Safety Reforms

Barra assumed leadership during a difficult period for GM. Just months into her tenure, the company faced congressional hearings over faulty ignition switches, which were traced to more than 120 deaths. The company also faced intense public scrutiny because the defect led to recalls of millions of vehicles.

Barra swiftly dealt with the crisis:

Publicly accepted the mistakes and took full responsibility for them.
Introduced new ways of safeguarding the company that would make such problems less likely in the future.
Launched the “Scream Up for Safety” campaign so that subordinates can safely mention any safety concerns without being punished.

Because of her transparency and responsibility, GM was able to regain public trust in the company, while demonstrating that she was able to overcome obstacles and move the company where it needed to go in the long term.

Strategic Initiatives Under Barra

Electrification and Autonomous Vehicles

During her tenure as CEO, General Motors had shifted focus towards EV and autonomous driving technology. This is due to her leadership on investment strategies concerning next-gen mobility solutions that guarantee GM’s place in the industry.

Some of the most notable achievements are:

In 2016, the Chevrolet Bolt EV was launched, which was one of the earliest affordable long-range EVs.
By 2025, GM plans to allocate an astonishing $35 billion towards the development of EVs and self-driving vehicles. This spending will significantly enhance the transportation sector.
Setting a target for the year 2035 when GM will only sell EVs and ZEVs, integrating them into their global sustainability objectives.

Sustainability and Climate Initiatives

Under Barra’s leadership, GM has electrified its strategy toward sustainability. She has prioritized environmental sustainability and has made GM’s carbon emissions goals a company-wide metric to hit. To achieve this, the company has set aggressive environmental objectives:

Attain a leap to 100 percent renewable energy usage within all GM facilities by 2025, alongside forming partnerships with renewable energy vendors.
Achieve carbon neutrality for firm-operated enterprise activities by 2040, a decade earlier than the benchmarks set by the Paris Agreement.
Develop novel techniques in the field of environmental engineering pertaining to the design and processes of a system’s manufacturing that minimize waste and emissions outputs.

Workplace Diversity and Inclusion

Formerly the first female CEO of GM, Barra has been an advocate for diversity and inclusion since her early career at the company. She has directed many of her focuses toward enhancing representation across various company levels, especially in executive positions.

Some of her key efforts include:

Creating policies to improve the retention and recruitment of ethnic minorities.
Encouraging women’s empowerment policies to increase the participation of women in the automotive sector.
Improving employee relations policies to build a more welcoming environment.

Recognition and Achievements

Some of the most notable awards given to Mary Barra include:

Being featured on “Time 100 Most Influential People” in 2014 and 2021.
Being at the top of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women in Business” list for several years.
Induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2023 for her achievements in the sector.

Conclusion

“Panic sets in when there’s a quiet moment because that means she is drawing a new sketch forward.” This perfectly sums up Mary Barra’s incredible and inspiring career working tirelessly for General Motors since the age of 18. GM stands for General Motors and is all about the advanced electric vehicles that Mary stands for.

Currently, Mary Barra is considered the most influential leader in the automotive industry due to her unique way of managing crises while keeping innovation at the forefront. She is currently leading GM into an all-electric future, which means reimagining transportation, and she envisions doing that for generations to come.