The latest announcement builds on a string of initiatives CEO Toshihiro Mibe is taking to make the lineup at Japan’s No. 2 automaker completely gasoline-free by 2040.

Current GM International chief, Steve Kiefer, has elected to retire after four decades with the automaker. Amin's promotion and Kiefer's retirement are effective April 1.

Keller, among the first women to cover the auto industry for Wall Street, was the rare analyst to get out of New York regularly and visit dealerships, suppliers and factories to glean a first hand look at key operations.