General Motors Names Baris Cetinok and Dave Richardson to Lead Software and Services Division
2024-06-03
DETROIT – General Motors has appointed Baris Cetinok and Dave Richardson to head its Software and Services division as the company pushes forward in the electric, autonomous, and connected vehicle space. Since their arrival at GM in September 2023, Cetinok and Richardson have been instrumental in developing vehicle operating systems, improving quality assurance processes, and setting the groundwork for software to play a pivotal role in GM’s customer experience.
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GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra stated, “The path to a tech-driven future for GM is becoming increasingly clear, thanks to the remarkable talent in our team and the leadership of Baris and Dave. Their combination of energy, vision, and technical expertise will continue to enhance our software engineering and product teams. Their new roles will ensure consistency, agility, and excellence as software takes on a more central role in our vehicles.”
In his role as senior vice president of Software and Services Product Management, Program Management, and Design, Cetinok will oversee the teams responsible for shaping the company’s software roadmap and managing the software development process from inception to continuous enhancement. Richardson, as senior vice president of Software and Services Engineering, will expand his responsibilities to lead all software engineering aspects including embedded platforms, digital products, commercial solutions, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). Both will closely collaborate with GM’s vehicle design and hardware engineering units.
With over 25 years of experience in product, engineering, and design at esteemed firms like Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple, Cetinok has a proven track record. During his time as senior director of Product Management at Apple, he spearheaded the launch of Apple Pay, Apple Cash, Apple Card, and various iCloud services. He also contributed significantly to the development of Microsoft Office and Amazon Payments in AWS.
Richardson, who spent 12 years at Apple, played a key role in driving innovation and efficiency in infrastructure for services like iCloud, FaceTime, and Siri. He also co-founded cloud computing company Skytap and served as a founding advisor for online marketplace Dibspace. Richardson holds both a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Washington.
Cetinok and Richardson will take over from Mike Abbott, who departed GM in March 2024 due to health reasons. They will be located at the new GM Mountain View Technical Center in California.
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General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company dedicated to advancing an all-electric future that is accessible to all. Central to this vision is the Ultium battery platform, powering everything from everyday vehicles to high-performance models. General Motors and its affiliates sell vehicles under well-known brands like Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun, and Wuling. Further information about the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a leader in safety services and connected vehicle technology, can be found at