Tech Industry Innovator Mike Abbott Joins General Motors as Executive Vice President, Software
Former Apple, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Twitter executive will lead new end-to-end software organization as GM accelerates its technology-driven transformation
2023-05-09
DETROIT – General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM) announced today that Mike Abbott, former vice president of Engineering for Apple’s Cloud Services division, will join GM as executive vice president, Software, effective May 22, 2023. He will report to GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra.
As a member of the senior leadership team, Abbott will lead a new integrated end-to-end software organization focused on the development of vehicle and enterprise software technologies and solutions, and delivery of digital services and features to retail and commercial customers. The newly created team will bring together three now distinct software functions within the company, including teams led by Scott Miller, vice president, Software Defined Vehicle and Operating System; Stacy Lynett, vice president, Information and Digital Technology; and Edward Kummer, chief digital officer, Digital Business.
Abbott brings extensive technology industry experience in cloud computing, storage, networking, security and more at scale. As vice president of Apple’s Cloud Services team, Abbott led a team responsible for the development of core infrastructure for all of Apple’s cloud-based services including iCloud iMessage, Private Relay, Mail and account security. In addition to storage, networking and compute, his team created products for Apple’s Education and Enterprise categories.
“We have entered the next phase of our technology driven transformation focused on rapidly scaling new EV models and our Ultifi software platform, which will drive faster innovation and enable new and exciting customer experiences,” said Barra. “Mike’s experience as a founder and entrepreneur coupled with his proven track record creating and delivering some of the market’s most compelling software-defined solutions for consumers and companies make him an excellent fit at GM.”
“I’m a product person at heart, so as the transformation of transportation quickly accelerates, I know that software is the catalyst for redefining experiences for consumers and enterprises like never before,” said Abbott. “GM is playing a pivotal role in this shift and I’m excited to join the team and bring my experience in software to bear to not only take advantage of the massive opportunities that lay ahead for the company but to help change the world.”
Abbott also served as a Visiting Scholar at Stanford’s Artificial Intelligence Lab (SAIL) focused on research in computer vision and other products that have benefits globally. Previously, he served as General Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), focused on investments in sectors including mobile and cloud computing, as well as working with entrepreneurs to better leverage social media tools, build teams and increase their funding. Abbott has also led teams responsible for developing innovative, secure, and high-performance applications and services at Twitter, Palm and Microsoft.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which will power everything from mass-market to high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at https://www.gm.com.