GM Tech Executive Shakeup Continues Across Software Division

General Motors’ software organisation has seen significant leadership changes, with three senior executives departing within the past month. The shift comes as GM restructures its technology operations under its newly appointed chief product officer.

Baris Cetinok, senior vice president of software and services product management, will leave the company on December 12, GM confirmed to TechCrunch. CNBC first reported the news. His departure follows those of Dave Richardson, senior vice president of software and services engineering, and Barak Turovsky, who joined GM earlier this year as head of AI. Cetinok and Richardson both joined in 2023, bringing experience from major tech companies, including Apple and Google.

These exits follow GM’s decision to bring in Sterling Anderson earlier this year as the company’s first chief product officer. Anderson — known for his background in the autonomous vehicle industry — now oversees key areas, including vehicle engineering, battery development, and software and services product management. Reporting directly to GM President Mark Reuss, he is tasked with guiding the full lifecycle of GM’s products, spanning hardware, software, services, and user experience.

GM says the ongoing restructuring aims to break down internal silos and unify the way software is built and integrated into its vehicles. Instead of multiple overlapping teams, the company plans to merge hardware and software engineering, AI functions, and global product operations into a single cohesive organisation.

As part of the overhaul, Anderson is also adding new leadership. Cristian Mori — with experience at Symbiotic, Rivian, and Boston Dynamics — has been hired to lead robotics, a newly created position within the company. GM has long maintained manufacturing and automation teams, but this marks the first time robotics has been given its own dedicated executive role.

GM also brought in Behrad Toghi, formerly at Apple, as its new AI lead in October. Additionally, the company appointed Rashed Haq as vice president of autonomous vehicles. Haq previously spent five years at Cruise, GM’s self-driving subsidiary, where he served as head of AI and robotics.