GM Announcing its Manufacturing Chief Retirement After 44 Years, Names Ex-Tesla, Google Executive as Successor

By Moon Harper

Mar 13, 2024 01:23 AM EDT

General Motors' manufacturing chief is retiring, and the company has appointed a former Tesla and Google executive to take his place.

Gerald Johnson, the current executive vice president of Global Manufacturing and Sustainability, will be succeeded by Jens Peter "JP" Clausen, who has previously held positions at Tesla, Lego, and Google, said the Detroit automaker on Tuesday.

Series of GM's Departure

Johnson's departure after 44 years with the automaker was somewhat expected. However, GM also announced the surprising departure of Mike Abbott, the executive vice president of software and services, a former Apple executive who joined the company in May.

In a LinkedIn post, Abbott explained that he has been dealing with significant heart health issues since late last year, which have not gotten better, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing his recovery with his family, hoping that it will improve over time.

Baris Cetinok, the current vice president of products in software and services and a former Apple executive who joined GM in September, will temporarily replace Abbott while a search for a permanent replacement is underway. GM says these changes will take effect on April 2, but Johnson will stay with the automaker until the end of the year.

Who Is Jens Peter "JP" Clausen?

Clausen's hiring is notable as GM and other automakers strive to match or exceed Tesla in producing batteries and powertrains for electric vehicles. Clausen brings valuable experience from nearly 14 years at Lego, then joined Tesla during significant growth and change from 2015 to 2019.

Under the leadership of CEO Elon Musk and former CTO JB Straubel, Clausen worked as the vice president at Tesla's initial battery manufacturing facility, the Nevada Gigafactory, located near Reno.

Clausen led a rapid factory expansion and, before his departure, was responsible for finding methods for Tesla to decrease the amount of scrap and waste it was producing while it was transitioning from a niche player to a mass-market auto company.

Clausen joined Tesla when the company made its premium sedan, the Model S, and the falcon-wing Model X SUV. On his departure, Tesla started mass-producing and delivering its affordable Model 3 sedan, which continues to be its most accessible electric car.

Clausen joined Zymergen, a synthetic biology company backed by Softbank, which a major competitor, Gingko Bioworks, later acquired. After the merger, Clausen transitioned to a position at Google as a vice president of engineering for the company's Data Center Advanced Technology Innovation group, where he focused on developing environmentally friendly cooling solutions for data centers and other sustainable growth initiatives.

According to a spokesperson's email, Clausen's final day at Google will be March 29.

Clausen is among several former Tesla executives who have joined GM, including board members Jon McNeill, former Tesla President of Global Sales and Service, and Kurt Kelty, who spearheaded Tesla's battery development for 11 years and was recently hired as vice president of batteries.