Mary Barra

Mary T. Barra

Personal details
Born	Mary Teresa Makela December 24, 1961 (age 63) Royal Oak, Michigan, U.S.
Education	Kettering University (BS) Stanford Graduate School of Business (MBA)
Career details
Occupation	Business executive
Years active	1980–present
Title	Chairman and CEO of General Motors
Term	January 15, 2014 – present
Predecessor	Dan Akerson
Compensation	$29.1 million (2022)
Net worth	Approximately $150 million
Board member of	General Motors Disney Stanford GSB Advisory Council

Mary Teresa Barra (née Makela; born December 24, 1961) is an American businesswoman who has been the chair and chief executive officer (CEO) of General Motors (GM) since January 15, 2014. She is the first female CEO of a major global automaker and the first woman to lead a U.S. automobile manufacturer.

Under Barra's leadership, General Motors has undergone a significant transformation, pivoting toward electric vehicles, autonomous driving technology, and sustainable transportation. She has been named one of the world's most powerful women by Forbes multiple times and is widely recognized as one of the most influential business leaders of the 21st century.

Early life and education

Mary Teresa Makela was born on December 24, 1961, in Royal Oak, Michigan, to Finnish-American parents. Her father, Ray Makela, was a die maker at Pontiac Motor Division for 39 years. Growing up in Waterford, Michigan, she was exposed to the automotive industry from an early age through her father's career at GM.

Barra began working at General Motors at age 18 as a co-op student in 1980, checking fender panels and inspecting hoods at the Pontiac Motor Division. She attended the General Motors Institute (now Kettering University), earning a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1985. She later received a Master of Business Administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1990 as a GM Sloan Fellow.

Career at General Motors

Early career (1980–2000s)

After joining GM as an engineering co-op student in 1980, Barra steadily rose through the ranks in various engineering and staff positions. Her early roles included general supervisor of the Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly plant (1990s), executive assistant to then-CEO Jack Smith, and various positions in manufacturing engineering and plant management.

Executive positions (2005–2013)

Barra's ascent accelerated in the 2000s:

• 2005–2009: Executive Director of Competitive Operations Engineering
• 2008: Vice President of Global Manufacturing Engineering
• 2009–2011: Vice President of Global Human Resources - During this critical period following GM's bankruptcy, she helped restructure the company's workforce and culture
• 2011–2013: Executive Vice President of Global Product Development, Purchasing & Supply Chain - In this role, she oversaw the development of GM's global vehicle lineup and was instrumental in improving product quality and reducing development time

CEO and Chairman (2014–present)

On December 10, 2013, GM announced that Barra would succeed Dan Akerson as CEO on January 15, 2014. On January 4, 2016, she was elected chair of the GM board of directors, making her the first woman to be the automotive chief of a major global automaker and the first female chair of GM.

Ignition switch crisis response

Just weeks into her tenure, Barra faced the ignition switch crisis, where faulty ignition switches in GM vehicles were linked to 124 deaths. She took decisive action:

• Established the Speak Up for Safety program
• Created a compensation fund for victims
• Fired 15 employees and implemented sweeping safety reforms
• Testified before Congress, taking full responsibility

Electric vehicle transformation

Barra has positioned GM as a leader in electric vehicles:

• Announced GM's commitment to an all-electric future in 2020
• Pledged $35 billion investment in electric and autonomous vehicles through 2025
• Launched the Ultium battery platform
• Set goal for GM to be carbon neutral by 2040
• Target to sell only zero-emission vehicles by 2035

Compensation and recognition

Compensation

According to SEC filings and proxy statements, Barra's annual compensation has been:

• 2022: $29.1 million (including salary, bonuses, and stock awards)
• 2021: $29.6 million
• 2020: $23.7 million
• 2019: $21.6 million

Awards and recognition

• Named to Forbes "World's 100 Most Powerful Women" list multiple times (#6 in 2022)
• Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People" (2014)
• Fortune magazine's "Businessperson of the Year" (2014)
• Automotive Hall of Fame inductee (2018)
• Named one of Bloomberg's 50 Most Influential People (2017)
• Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute Legend in Leadership Award (2019)

Board memberships and affiliations

• The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors (2011–present)
• General Motors Board of Directors (2010–present; Chair since 2016)
• Stanford Graduate School of Business Advisory Council
• Detroit Economic Club
• Business Roundtable

Personal life

Mary Barra married Tony Barra, a consultant, whom she met at Kettering University. They have two children together. The family resides in Northville, Michigan.

Barra is known for her disciplined approach to work-life balance, typically leaving the office by 6 PM to have dinner with her family. She is an advocate for women in engineering and business leadership.

Leadership philosophy

Barra's leadership style emphasizes transparency and accountability, customer-first approach, decisive action in crisis situations, and long-term strategic thinking over short-term gains. Her approach is summarized in her frequent statement: "The customer is the compass that guides our decisions."

External links

• GM Official Biography
• GM News & Media