Friends in high places

The chief executive of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Andrew McKellar has praised the good work of out-going Holden boss Mark Reuss.

Reuss (pictured) is credited with bringing small car manufacturing back to Holden, expediting fuel economy updates to the Commodore, and finding a replacement for the Pontiac export program.

He also oversaw some tough times: the closure of Holden's four-cylinder engine plant, declining sales and market share, and posting a loss in the most recent financial report.

But the FCAI chief has revealed that Reuss was a key player in negotiations with the Federal Government regarding financial assistance packages for the local motor industry.

"Mark Reuss has done an outstanding job and we'll be sad to see him go," McKellar told the Carsales Network. "He's been a tremendous guy to work with and he was instrumental in the industry review process last year. He helped forge an effective relationship with the Government, for which the rest of the industry should now be thankful."

But McKellar said he believes Reuss, in his new global product development role, will still be an ally to Holden and to Australian manufacturing in general.

"He has proven to be a very effective leader," he said. "He will no doubt be a powerful ally in the global industry. He's another friend in a high place who knows a bit more about Australia and how much skill we have here."

Innovation and Industry Minister Senator Kim Carr said: "The Australian Government regrets Mr Reuss's departure, and I will personally miss his friendship and wise counsel."

Reuss was on his way back from Detroit during last Friday's announcement but called McKellar personally to tell him of the news.

Reuss, an American, will cut short his overseas posting after just 18 months in the top job at Holden to take up a senior position at General Motors headquarters in Detroit at the end of August.

Reuss, the 45-year-old son of Lloyd Reuss, a former president of GM global, started with the company as an engineer and worked his way up through management ranks.

He obviously planned to stay in Australia longer, given that he had moved his family Down Under and had begun restoring an old 1960s FC Holden in his spare time.

Immediately prior to joining Holden, Reuss was in charge of the fast-car division of Cadillac and is one of a handful of GM engineers qualified to test cars at the famous Nurburgring race circuit in Germany.

He drove a HSV Clubsport as his company car locally, when his earlier (although not immediate) predecessors chose to be chauffeur driven.

Just 12 months in the job Reuss announced Holden would build a four-cylinder small car locally from late 2010. He later revealed it was one of the first projects he expedited to help secure local manufacturing operations.

Contrary to other reports, he and Holden have not given up on Commodore exports to the US in the wake of the Pontiac brand being axed at the end of the year.

Perhaps now the new Commodore export deal may be a better chance, given that Reuss will be closer to the action.

Reuss will be replaced by Holden's head of sales and marketing, Briton Alan Batey, who will become the fourth new Holden boss in three years.

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