General Motors promotes two former Apple executives to run its Tech software and services business: Tech Times

General Motors (GM) has named two former Apple executives to software and services leadership roles as it ramps up efforts to build electrified, autonomous and connected vehicles.

General Motors promotes two former Apple executives

The company has named Baris Cetinok senior vice president of product management for software and services and Dave Richardson senior vice president of software services and engineering.

The move coincides with GM’s efforts to pursue ambitious plans to increase software and services revenues and transition from internal combustion cars to battery-powered vehicles.

The automaker noted that Cetinok and Richardson have played key roles in building operating systems and digital vehicles since their merger in 2023. Their roles include improving validation systems, quality testing and laying the foundation for software as an essential part of the company’s customer service experience.

GM President and CEO Mary Barra said the new appointments would strengthen GM’s position in keeping up with technological advances, underscoring her confidence in former Apple executives.

Barra also emphasized that they are expected to strengthen GM’s software engineering and product divisions with their technical and management experience.

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WARREN, MI – JUNE 5: A person walks past the GM logo at the General Motors Technical Center as General Motors CEO Mary Barra holds a press conference on June 5, 2014 in Warren, Michigan. Barra spoke out to provide an update on GM’s internal investigation into the ignition switch recall at the General Motors Technical Center. (
(Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

New roles of two former Apple executives at GM

With his new appointment, Baris Cetinok will be responsible for creating the company’s software development plan and managing the development, implementation and continuous improvement of the software.

With over 25 years of product, engineering and design experience, Cetinok has worked for companies such as Apple, Microsoft and Amazon. As senior director of product management at Apple, he introduced iCloud services such as Photos, Drive and Find My, as well as Apple Pay, Apple Cash and Apple Card.

Additionally, Cetinok was the driving force behind the creation of Amazon Payments on AWS and Microsoft Office. Richardson, in turn, worked at Apple for 12 years as an engineering leader responsible for supporting performance and innovation in the infrastructure for products such as FaceTime, Siri and iCloud.

He also served as an advisor to the founder of online marketplace Dibspace and co-founder and chief scientist of cloud computing startup Skytap. Richardson, who graduated from the University of Washington with a master’s and doctorate in computer science, will lead all GM software engineering areas, including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), embedded platforms, digital products and commercial solutions.

Both men were appointed after former GM Software and Services executive vice president Mike Abbott stepped down last March for personal reasons. They will be headquartered at GM’s brand new Mountain View Technical Center in California.

“GM’s journey into the future of technology is clearer than ever thanks to the exceptional talent of our team and the leadership of Baris and Dave,” Barra said in a press release.

“They bring energy and vision, combined with extensive technical and management experience, that will continue to strengthen our software and product engineering teams. These elevated stations will ensure continuity, speed and quality as software becomes even more important to the vehicle,” he says. added.

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