Ex-Toyota Australia Boss Buttner to Lead GM Holden

Former Toyota Australia boss Dave Buttner is named chairman and managing director of one-time rival GM Holden.

Buttner succeeds Mark Bernhard, who retires from General Motors at the end of July.

Barry Engle, GM executive vice president and president of GM International, says the transition comes as GM Holden seeks to leverage its strongest-ever vehicle portfolio to win more customers, grow sales and strengthen the Australian company.

Buttner’s 40-year career in the automotive industry included three years as president of Toyota Australia from 2014 to 2017 when he led its transition from a manufacturer and distributor to a national sales company. He also held senior roles in manufacturing, sales and marketing, corporate affairs and product planning and development.

Bernhard’s career at GM spanned Australia, the U.S., Europe, Singapore and China.

He joined GM Holden in 2015 and led the wind-down of its manufacturing operation. He served previously as vice president and chief financial officer of Shanghai GM in China and then chief financial officer of the GM China Group.

Bernhard relocated to Zurich, Switzerland, in 1996 as manager of budgets and consolidation for the then-GM International Operations. In 1998, he became director of financial reporting and analysis for GM International Operations in Detroit. Two years later, he became director of special projects at GM Asia Pacific in Singapore, working on the acquisition of Korean automaker Daewoo.