GM promotes Baris Cetinok and Dave Richardson to lead software and services

General Motors has promoted Baris Cetinok and Dave Richardson to lead its Software and Services organization. Since joining GM in September 2023, they have been instrumental in developing vehicle operating systems, improving quality testing and validation, and integrating software into the customer experience as the company focuses on electric, autonomous, and connected vehicles.

Baris Cetinok, as Senior Vice President of Software and Services Product Management, will oversee software roadmap design and development. Dave Richardson, as Senior Vice President of Software and Services Engineering, will lead all software engineering, including embedded platforms, digital products, commercial solutions, and ADAS. Both will collaborate with GM’s vehicle design and hardware engineering teams.

In seperate news, the WSJ reports that GM Financial, the lending arm of GM, has withdrawn its application for deposit insurance, crucial for its move back into banking and expanding its auto-finance business. The application, submitted in late 2020 to the FDIC and Utah Department of Financial Institutions, was pulled from further processing.

“GM’s journey toward a tech-forward future is clearer than ever, thanks to the exceptional talent within our team and the leadership of Baris and Dave. They bring energy and vision, combined with extensive technical and management experience, that will continue to strengthen our software engineering and product teams. These elevated roles will ensure continuity, speed, and quality as software becomes even more central to the vehicle.” – GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra.