Lowell Paddock takes over from Karl Slym as GM's head honcho

Lowell Paddock will assume the position of President and Managing Director of General Motors India from January 1, 2012 replacing Karl Slym who has served in that position since October 2007, a press release from GM India explained today.

Mr Paddock was the GMIO Vice President of Program Management and Planning, where he was in charge of GM's products for the Asia Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. He also serves on the Boards of Directors of the GM-AvtoVAZ joint venture and GM Korea.

Karl Slym has a great sense of humor and always talked his heart. Indian Autos Blog shared a good relationship with him.

Meanwhile Karl Slym relocates to China as Executive Vice President of SAIC and Wuling Motors to oversee operations of its increasing lineup of mini vans and LCV's. Under Slym, the company's market presence improved and witnessed many strategic launches that include the Beat, Beat diesel, Spark LPG and the Cruze.

An important development under Slym's leadership is the establishment of the Chevrolet bowtie after market study proved confusion prevailed in the consumer's mind about the connection between GM and General Electric.

Under Slym's leadership General Motors is said to have reached an agreement with ICML to source a 2-liter CRDI engine for the Tavera that comes out next month complying to BS4 emission standards. A lineup of pickups and vans identified by Slym's team from the SAIC portfolio has started testing and reaches the market in 2012.

Besides petroleum-based vehicles, Slym's ambitious electric vehicle project with REVA took off with a four-door rolling prototype using the Spark displayed at the 2010 Auto Expo. During a candid chat after the Expo, Slym told IndianAutosBlog.com that India's yet to see a proper four door electric car and the Spark EV set out to that. He was kicked about the idea and explained with minor changes to the battery pack, a Beat could also use the same technology.

After Mahindra's acquisition of REVA in the latter part of 2010, General Motors abandoned the project and pursued an internal program, a product of which is the Beat EV.

Slym's successor Paddock has held several important posts in product planning and program management in his home country of the United States, Europe and Asia since joining General Motors in 1992. His previous positions include Director of Portfolio Planning at GM Europe, Vice President of Planning at GM Asia Pacific, and Executive Director of Planning and Program Management at GM’s Shanghai GM joint venture in China.

IndianAutosBlog.com likes to wish Karl Slym a very prosperous and fun filled term in China and thanks him for the memories.