RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC — Robert Lutz, General Motors vice chairman of product development, will deliver an inspirational speech on Tuesday, May 8, as the luncheon speaker at the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) held at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago.
Lutz has served GM in various capacities since 2001, including chairman of GM North America and interim president of GM Europe. Prior to rejoining GM as vice chairman, Lutz was chairman and chief executive officer of Exide Technologies. He served as chairman until May 2002, and also served as a member of Exide’s board of directors until May 2004.
Lutz joined Exide after a distinguished career with the former Chrysler Corp. from 1986 to 1998, where he reached the position of vice chairman. Lutz also served as president and chief operating officer, responsible for Chrysler’s car and truck operations worldwide. Lutz led all of Chrysler’s automotive activities, including sales, marketing, product development, manufacturing, and procurement and supply. He began his service with Chrysler in 1986 as executive vice president and was shortly thereafter elected to the Chrysler Corp. board.
His 12 years with the company are chronicled in his 1998 book, “Guts: The Seven Laws of Business That Made Chrysler the World’s Hottest Car Company.” “Guts” was revised and updated in 2003 and renamed, “Guts: 8 Laws of Business from One of the Most Innovative Business Leaders of our Time.”
Before Chrysler, Lutz spent 12 years at Ford Motor Co., where his last position was executive vice president of truck operations. He also served as chairman of Ford of Europe and as executive vice president of Ford’s international operations. From 1982 to 1986, Lutz was a member of Ford’s board.
Lutz began his automotive career in September 1963 at GM, where he held a variety of senior positions in Europe until December 1971. For the next three years, he served as executive vice president of sales at BMW in Munich and as a member of that company’s board of management.
For more information or to register for the 2007 GAAS, go to: http://www.globalsymposium.org.
