Raymond Grigg to Retire as President of GM In Japan

.November 26, 2003
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Raymond Grigg to Retire as President of GM In Japan

Jay Hunt to Succeed Grigg as Head of GM Operations in Japan

SINGAPORE/JAPAN - Raymond G. (Ray) Grigg will end a distinguished career at General Motors spanning more than four decades and three continents when he retires as President of GM's operations in Japan on February 1, 2004.

GM Asia Pacific President Fritz Henderson announced that also effective February 1, Jay Hunt, GM's general director of the Fuji Heavy Industries Alliance, will succeed Grigg as the executive in charge of GM operations in Japan, which includes GM's alliance strategy with its Japanese partners.

"GM is indebted to Ray for all of his diligent work over many years, more specifically these past 3 1/2-years reshaping our business model in Japan and Asia Pacific," said Henderson. "He has been a key component in our Japanese alliance strategy by expanding these partnerships in the past several years. We will miss his insights and judgment."

Grigg was appointed President and Representative Director, GMAP (Japan) in August 2001. He is a member of the Asia Pacific Strategy Board, which directs operations in the 12-country region for GM.

Grigg championed the GM Alliance with Fuji Heavy Industries from its inception when he arrived in Japan in April 2000 to assume the role of the original general director of the FHI Alliance. In his current GMAP (Japan) role, Grigg has been vigorously promoting additionally GM's Alliances with Suzuki and Isuzu. Recognizing the need to further leverage the strengths of each partner, Grigg struck agreements this past spring, with Suzuki and FHI, to assist GM in growing its sales network for Chevrolet and Saab in Japan, respectively. He also helped forge the collaboration of FHI with Saab on the new Saab 9-2X and many collaborative projects with Suzuki covering all GM regional operations.

Hunt, age 43, as the new President and Representative Director, GMAP (Japan)/GM Japan, will be responsible for extending GM's cooperation with its Japanese partners, Isuzu, Suzuki and FHI. He will also be responsible for GM's operating activities in Japan including the sales company and supporting functions. Hunt's replacement at the FHI Alliance Office is to be named at a later date.

Hunt began his career at GM in July 1986 in Marketing and Product Planning, based in Detroit, MI, after graduating with a master's degree in business administration from Harvard University. After 8 years in sales and marketing at GM Corporate and then with Cadillac Division, he was promoted to executive and transferred to the Asia Pacific region in 1994. From 1994 to 2000, Hunt was the GM executive responsible for developing the sales, service and marketing operations of GM's China joint venture, Shanghai GM. In the Asia Pacific region, he has lived and worked in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and for the past 3 ½-years, in Tokyo, working with GM's alliance partner, FHI.

Prior to his assignment in Japan, Grigg was Executive Director, Aftersales, GM Europe, and prior to that, Executive Director, GM International CKD Operations located in Germany. Grigg began his career at GM in 1957 as a Cadet engineer at Holden Ltd. In Australia. Mr. Grigg held a variety of Executive leadership positions at Holden including Board Director and General Manager of Operations. Grigg was promoted to Executive in October 1978.

Grigg and his wife, Beverley, plan to retire to their home in Adelaide, Australia.

(November 19, 2003)

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