GM Moves Docherty to International Role

Susan Docherty, who was removed as General Motors Co.’s head of U.S. marketing earlier this month, receives an overseas assignment.

Effective June 1, Docherty will take over as vice president of GM’s 90-market International Operational Sales, Marketing and Aftersales unit, answering to Tim Lee.

She replaces Don Johnson, who is being shifted to a new position at GM, the auto maker says.

“Growth in China and other emerging markets is important to the company’s future,” GM Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre says in a statement. “We are counting on Susan to make a significant contribution, and I am glad to have her running this critical part of our business.”

GM was the market-share leader in China through March, with 12.9% on sales of nearly 600,000 units, Ward’s data shows.

Docherty will oversee sales, marketing and aftersales in Latin America, Africa, Russia, the Middle East and the Asia/Pacific region. She also will be responsible for improving customer opinion of GM’s various brands, including Buick, Holden and Chevrolet.

While the majority of Docherty’s time at GM has been spent stateside – launching the ’10 Buick Lacrosse and ’10 GMC Terrain as brand manager-Buick-Pontiac-GMC – she also “led a turnaround and right-sizing effort” as the marketing director for GM’s European arm where she had responsibility for selling North American-made vehicles in Europe, her company bio says.

Additionally, Docherty served as manager-international marketing and communications, based in Zurich, Switzerland, “playing a leadership role introducing and implementing brand management across GM’s European and Asian operations.”