New Leadership
GM Korea announced on Oct. 20 that James Kim, chief operating officer (COO) of GM Korea, will be promoted to president and CEO of the Korean unit of the U.S. auto giant in Jan. next year. Current CEO Sergio Rocha will become the company chairman. “James has an outstanding track record as a leader in various industries, while Sergio is an automotive industry veteran who has been leading GM Korea for more than three years,” said Stefan Jacoby, GM executive vice president and president of GM International. “In their new roles, James and Sergio will create synergy to support GM Korea's long-term competitiveness and sustainability.”
Rocha has been CEO of GM Korea since March 2012. He has been leading the continued development of the company’s operations, including the growth of the Chevrolet brand in Korea. In his role as chairman of the GM Korea board of directors, Rocha will continue to provide strategic leadership and insight to GM Korea's leadership team, while supporting GM Uzbekistan operations.
Kim served as CEO of Microsoft Korea from 2009 and then joined GM Korea as president and COO in June this year. He also served as Asia Regional Vice President of Overture, CEO of Overture Korea, and CEO of Yahoo Korea.