Mary Barra

Mary Barra is an American business executive who serves as chair and chief executive officer of General Motors. When she became CEO in 2014, she was the first woman to lead a major global automaker, and she has since guided the company through a period of restructuring and a strategic shift toward electric vehicles.

Early life

Barra was born in 1961 in Michigan and grew up in the Detroit area, where the automotive industry was a central part of regional life; her father worked for many years as a tool-and-die maker at General Motors. She began her own connection to the company as a young student, entering what is now Kettering University (then the General Motors Institute), where she studied electrical engineering. She later earned a master's degree in business administration from Stanford University.

Career

Barra joined General Motors as a co-op student and built her career over several decades across a wide range of functions. She held positions in engineering and plant management before moving into senior roles, including leadership of human resources and, importantly, global product development, where she oversaw the company's vehicle engineering and design. Her broad experience across the business positioned her as a candidate for the top job.

She was named chief executive officer of General Motors in January 2014. Early in her tenure she managed the company's response to a major ignition-switch safety recall, overseeing recalls and appearing before lawmakers as the company addressed the issue. She subsequently moved to streamline GM's global operations, exiting some unprofitable markets and concentrating resources on core regions and future technologies.

Recent work

Under Barra's leadership, General Motors has committed to a long-term transition toward electric vehicles, announcing plans to expand its lineup of battery-electric models and investing in battery technology and manufacturing. The company has set ambitious goals around electrification and has pursued work in autonomous driving through its affiliated ventures. She has framed this strategy around a vision of a future with reduced emissions and greater vehicle safety.

In addition to her role at General Motors, where she also serves as chair of the board, Barra has held positions on the boards of other major organizations and has been recognized repeatedly as one of the most powerful women in business. She is regarded as a prominent voice in the automotive industry's shift toward new technologies and continues to lead the company through the broader transformation of the global car market.