That’s right, somehow between managing a global pandemic and preparations for the biggest change since the moving assembly line, GM CEO Mary Barra found time to finalize the best kept secret in the business. Then again, the ability to think under pressure is a given for great leaders, Ms. Barra included.
And don’t laugh, BlackBerry may have had innovation paralysis in the past, but that was before John Chen quietly transformed the company into a state-of-the-art automotive software provider. And despite that happening over six years ago, the market still hadn’t reflected the opportunity, being that cars aren’t cars anymore, they’re tech. But Ms. Barra knew, which is why she picked up GM’s new trick-shot for a song. $3.2B to be exact. Not bad for a business that neutralizes your biggest competitor’s head start, let alone the $1.2B in cash on hand. What a deal! But she’s not changing the game alone. And no, I’m not talking about the board that believed in her vision, I’m talking about..
Premier Ford
Yes, the man who surprised his detractors by uniting a province during the greatest crisis of a generation. Mr. Ford knew that while public safety is paramount, he needed an economic exit plan to avoid trading one crisis for another. So when Ms. Barra called about a break for her new Waterloo purchase, you’d better believe he picked up the phone. And sure, he agreed to tax relief, but it was his idea to throw in low cost electricity for her manufacturing, on one condition..
GM Oshawa Reopening as Canada’s First Electric Vehicle Assembly Plant
Not a test track, not an R&D incubator, but GM’s only dedicated full-scale electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant. In fact, it’s more than that, it’s a message that Ontario is regaining its title as a truly innovative industrial leader. In this case, the new home of North American EV manufacturing. To be honest, Mr. Ford didn’t have much of a choice. EV’s are the undisputed future of vehicles, and Canada’s entire automotive industry just happens to be concentrated into one place, Ontario, which until now had no plans to adapt. That’s one hell of a risk. One million livelihoods to be exact. So get busy living, or..