GM promotes 2 ex-Apple execs to lead software team

General Motors has named two vice presidents to lead its software and services division following the departure of former Apple executive Mike Abbott this spring.

The automaker on Monday said Baris Cetinok, who had been heading the team on an interim basis since April, will manage products, programs and design, while Dave Richardson will handle software and services engineering.

Both joined GM in the fall and will be based out of the company's new technical center in Mountain View, Calif.

"GM's journey toward a tech-forward future is clearer than ever, thanks to the exceptional talent within our team and the leadership of Baris and Dave," GM CEO Mary Barra said in a statement. "They bring energy and vision, combined with extensive technical and management experience, that will continue to strengthen our software engineering and product teams. These elevated roles will ensure continuity, speed, and quality as software becomes even more central to the vehicle."

Cetinok, 51, has a background at Apple, where he worked on products such as Apple Pay and iCloud, and at Microsoft and Amazon. He will lead GM's teams that are designing the automaker's software road map, as well as processes around developing, launching and improving software programs. Cetinok will be a featured speaker at the Automotive News Congress on Sept. 24. 

"As someone just as obsessed with speed and torque as I am with software product innovation, this has already been a dream job realized for me," Cetinok wrote Monday in a post on LinkedIn. "The talent we have and the exciting vehicle roadmap from the affordable Chevrolet Equinox EV to the totally cool GMC Hummer EV super truck amaze me on a daily basis."

Richardson's responsibilities will include such functions as embedded platforms, digital products and advanced driver-assistance systems. His background includes 12 years at Apple, where he worked on such services as iCloud, FaceTime and Siri. He also co-founded cloud computing company Skytap, GM said.

"Since joining GM in September, I have seen the incredible complexity and significance of the work that goes into powering modern vehicles," Richardson, 44, wrote Monday on LinkedIn. "There's no better time to be a software engineer working in auto, as today's vehicles combine horsepower with processing power. I'm thrilled to continue collaborating with our talented technical teams to make the cars of today and tomorrow more custom, convenient, and safer."

The automaker said both executives will work closely with vehicle design and hardware engineering teams.

GM hired Abbott to lead its software organization in May 2023, but he stepped down after less than a year because of a heart condition. The automaker is expanding its software capabilities as it focuses on vehicle electrification, software-defined vehicles, driver-assistance features and autonomy, and it has hired for key roles from Silicon Valley tech companies.

GM has said it anticipates software and services could generate as much as $25 billion in revenue by 2030. Barra said last week at a Bernstein conference that GM's software team is working to identify those future revenue opportunities.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to show Dave Richardson joined GM in September.