As General Motors continues to reinvent the face of mobility while driving forward profitable growth in its core operations, Jack Uppal has been appointed President and Managing Director of GM Africa & Middle East (GM AMEO) as Luay Al Shurafa is named to senior executive role with GM China.
Effective November 2022, current President and Managing Director of GM Africa & Middle East, Luay Al Shurafa, will transition to take on the role of Vice President of Vehicle Sales, Service & Marketing, GM China and SAIC-GM. Al Shurafa replaces Mike Devereux who has been named Vice President of Digital for GM International and will repatriate to the US.
GM Senior Vice President and President GM International, Shilpan Amin, said “Uppal’s track record of commercial success and deep knowledge of electrification are valuable assets as our business in Africa and the Middle East leads the transition of the industry to an ell-electric future.
“Under Luay Al Shurafa’s leadership, GM AMEO has not only delivered significant growth, but is also leading the transformation of automotive industry in the region as evidenced at our Exhibit Zero Arabia forum last November,” said Amin.
“Jack Uppal comes to the role with a clear priority to put the customer at the center of the business, as we deliver strong financial performance today and chart the course to lead the transformation of our industry in Africa and Middle East for the future.”
“Jack is a staunch believer in robust relationships and embedded innovation and brings a strategic and inclusive mindset that will further empower the team to build toward a safer, sustainable and electrified tomorrow.”
“I sincerely thank Luay for his leadership. He was the first locally born and raised leader for GM Africa & Middle East and has taken the business to new heights. Luay successfully led the team through the global pandemic, built on close relationships with local governments and our valued dealer partners and accelerated the profitable growth of our business. He also helped forge several strategies and partnerships to introduce many firsts in the electric and autonomous vehicle space, as well as nurturing entrepreneurs, women in leadership and STEM,” Amin concluded.
Al Shurafa said: “It has been an honor to lead this incredible team and business. I am so proud of what we have achieved together, and I will be watching closely to see the team take GM Africa & Middle East to even greater heights in the future. The potential in this region is immense and I know this is just the beginning for where GM can go”.
Uppal said: “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity as GM continues to lead the industry and reshape the face of mobility.”
“I see so much growth opportunity for GM in this region. We also know our GM vision aligns with the ambitious and inspiring agendas of leaders and governments around the region and together we can make change for the better”
“I’m energized to be a part of this transformation and lead such an engaged and capable team. Having worked in the Middle East in the past, it will be great to be back in this hugely diverse melting pot that is known for its culturally-rich heritage and speed in adopting the most advanced technologies. The sky is the limit for GM and I’m excited to be part of that journey”
Uppal brings with him a wealth of global experience having held several leadership roles with General Motors across sales, marketing, and strategic business planning in China, India, Singapore, the Middle East, and his home country of Canada. Uppal was a driving force behind GM China’s Chevrolet transformation toward an electric vehicle portfolio and supporting distribution channels, with a key role in product development and design. Uppal is also known for his customer-centric outlook and success in driving efficiencies through performance marketing and data analytics as core decision drivers.
Uppal holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honors) from University of Toronto specializing in Finance & Marketing.