Simcoe gets top GM design job

Mr Monaro, Mike Simcoe, has been appointed the head of General Motors design globally.

Only the seventh person to hold the position in the company’s 108-year history, Simcoe is also the first non-American. The Aussie replaces Ed Welburn, who today announced his retirement.

Simcoe is a 33-year veteran of GM Design and currently holds the position of Vice President of GM International Design. He will start transitioning into his new role from May 1.

Simcoe will relocate to Detroit and his successor at GM International -- which takes in production and advanced studios in Korea, Australia and India -- will be announced in due course. Current Holden Design boss Richard Ferlazzo is widely tipped for the role.

Simcoe is famous for his reinterpretation of the Monaro. He is also credited with leading the design on the modern generations of Holden Commodore. Extra-curricular designs include the wild Elfin MS8 Clubman. GM’s bio of Simcoe is below.

In a phone conference this morning Simcoe told Australian media he was “still reeling from the news”.

“I was only made aware Tuesday (April 5). I’m still catching up. It’s an incredible honour and an incredible role,” Simcoe stated.

GM has 10 design studios in seven countries. Simcoe will lead a team of more than 2500 staff based in the US, Germany, South Korea, China, Brazil, India and Australia, to develop designs for every GM concept and production car, truck and crossover globally.

“My role will be not to get in the way but facilitate," said Simcoe. "Ed [Welburn] leaves a legacy of incredible design.

“I’m a different character and have my views on how I need to make the role work for me. But it’s about consolidating what exists and enabling the [GM] design community to evolve in what is a hectic and big level of change… New technology and new forms of mobility are coming and we need to be ready to work with the change.”

Simcoe believes he can bring a “diverse global view” to GM Design.

He says the local Australian operation is one of GM’s strengths.

“The size of team in Australia is good right now. It’s close to my heart and I’ve tried to protect it but they live as part of a global design organisation. A powerful part because the quality of the work they [Holden Design] do,” he commented.

Simcoe said he believed Holden’s future portfolio was as “strong as it’s ever been”.

“From a brand point of view, it has one of the best [product] outlooks,” he stated.

“Of course I’m proud [of what Holden has achieved]. For a small team, they’ve had a huge impact over the years, globally and within the [larger] design community.

“[Holden is] Well appreciated by GM globally. Ed [Welburn] sorted out Australian and global opinion, he truly made it [GM Design] global. Where there was good design happening, he recognised it and made it visible – including Australia.

“This is a dream job. [But] I need to make sure the march to global, well recognised design continues. My role is not to get in the way of that,” he stated.

“I am incredibly proud and humbled to be offered this dream role,” said Simcoe.

“I want to thank Ed, congratulate him on an amazing career and wish him all the very best in the next chapter of his life. He leaves very big shoes to fill. Not only is he an incredible designer but an outstanding teacher, mentor, leader and friend.

“The prospect of heading up General Motors Design is humbling and somewhat daunting but I am supported by an extremely talented and passionate global team, the best in the industry,” said Simcoe.

One other thing Simcoe wasn’t going to get in the way of was the future for a rear-drive V8 in Holden’s range.

“Someone had to ask… I’m not going to toss a hand grenade into that debate,” he joked.

Another former Holden exec (albeit from North America) Mark Reuss, GM's executive vice-president of Global Product Development and Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, announced Simcoe’s promotion and commended Welburn.

“Given his deep global experience and passion for breakthrough design, Mike is the right person to lead GM Global Design,” said Reuss.

“He is known for his ability to take diverse ideas and mould them into great products that surprise and delight our customers.”

Reuss recognised Welburn, 65, for his creative imprint on four decades of iconic vehicles and his leadership in identifying and developing world-class talent.

“Ed’s team turns out one award-winning product after another… and his strong bench will keep GM Design on top for years to come,” Reuss said.

Welburn has led GM Design since 2003 and was the first African American from any car-maker to do so.

“GM Design is among the most respected and sought-after organisations in the industry because of Ed’s leadership. He nurtured a creative, inclusive and customer-focused culture among our designers that has strengthened our global brands,” said Mary Barra, GM chairman and CEO.

Mike Simcoe Biography (supplied by GM -- edited):
>> Michael Simcoe is GM’s new vice-president, GM Global Design. He replaces Ed Welburn, who will retire.

>> Simcoe began his career at GM Holden as a designer in 1983. He had subsequent appointments as a senior designer (1985) and chief designer (1987), becoming involved in every major vehicle design program that GM Holden had undertaken.

>> In 1995, Simcoe became director of Design for GM Asia Pacific and was responsible for the management of collaborative projects with GM alliance partners such as Daewoo, Suzuki, Fuji Heavy Industries and Isuzu. Following that, he was appointed director of Design at GM Holden in 2001 where he oversaw the genesis of the highly successful Holden VT Commodore and WH Statesman/Caprice model ranges, creating the “flexible architecture” concept that delivered nine variants and subsequently the VE Commodore.

>> Simcoe began to serve as GM’s executive director of Asia Pacific Design in 2003. He led the design strategy and oversaw day-to-day design operations in the region and also set up the new GM Korea Design Operations.

>> The following year, he was appointed executive director of North American Exterior Design.

>> Simcoe was named brand champion for Chevrolet in addition to his other responsibilities in 2009. Spearheading all exterior design in North America, he led the design development of a long list of GM products, including the GMC Terrain, Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Camaro and Equinox, and Cadillac CTS sedan, wagon and coupe.

>> Prior to taking on his present post in 2014, Simcoe was executive director of GMI Design since 2011. He focused on further developing and growing GM Global Design operations in Korea and Australia, which was responsible for the Buick Avenir concept and the more recent Chevrolet Colorado Xtreme and Trailblazer Premier show cars.

>> Simcoe holds an Associate Diploma of Art Industrial Design from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.