New GM Korea chief pledges better communication with staff

"I will listen carefully to what employees have to say and build a culture of trust in our company`s future."

So said Sergio Rocha, who was elected CEO of GM Korea last Monday. He posted his inauguration speech on his company`s Intranet Tuesday last week, saying, "I will make communication with employees a priority."

Rocha started his first day at work trying to communicate with staff. "GM Korea plays a key role in GM`s global business arena. I`ve worked as vice president of GM Korea. I`m very familiar with Korea," he said.

Rocha took office exactly a year after GM Korea officially launched the Chevrolet brand in Korea amid sluggish domestic sales associated with the weak brand image of Daewoo Motor.

Since the launch of Chevrolet, GM Korea has sold 141,386 units of the brand in Korea over the past year, up 12.1 percent year-on-year, but market share remained at 9.6 percent, falling short of the company`s double-digit target.

GM Korea has also conducted a major reshuffle of executives. In October last year, Kim Seong-ki, executive director of domestic sales, stepped down along with Baek Beom-soo, senior vice president and director of customer management and strategic planning filling the post. Next to go was CEO Mike Arcamone and Sohn Dong-yeon, executive vice president and director of technology development. Steve Clark, executive vice president of GM international division, replaced Sohn.

Rocha said, "We still face some tough times and we still face some challenges. But I`m sure we can enhance competitiveness if we join forces," adding, "I came to Korea for to take the leap."

After joining GM Brazil in 1979, Rocha served as director of compact car development at GM Latin America, Africa and Middle East. He served as executive vice president for product planning of GM Daewoo Korea for two years from 2006 and headed GM Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay before taking over GM Korea.

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