According to a report by the Associated Press, sources close to GM's inner circles claim Bob Lutz will get additional responsibilities within the manufacturer's ranks. According to the sources, no replacement for Fritz Henderson has yet been found (meaning he will not be the future CEO) and in the wake of his untimely departure, no other dismissals will follow. Still, increased responsabilities for GM's managers are to be expected.
According to Autonews, Bob Lutz will be appointed senior adviser to Ed Whitacre, while his place as marketing chief will be taken over by current sales chief Susan Docherty. Bloomberg on the other hand notes that Stephen Girsky will also become an adviser, while Mark Reuss will also get additional responsabilities.
Bob Lutz has so far declined to comment a possible move to the position of CEO. He played "I had no idea" card during the Los Angeles Auto Show, saying "none of us had any hint" of Henderson's departure and stopping to that.
Fritz Henderson's resignation came after 8 months in charge of the American manufacturer. As was the case with GM's former CEO, not all is clear about Henderson's unexpected departure. The official story is that the former CEO got himself in conflict with the company's board and resigned. Others says Ed Whitacre forced him into leaving, as he wanted a more aggressive restructuring process (truth be told, it does seem GM is getting back to its pre-bankruptcy bad habits.)
The White House on the other hand declined any involvement in Henderson's departure. In a statement released yesterday, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said "Fritz Henderson has done a good job in a period of transition, but the board of directors runs General Motors, not the president of the United States."
No matter how this will play out, there are many believing Bob Lutz is GM's best shot. Provided Whitacre does not keep the position for himself, Lutz seems like the right man for the job...
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