General Motors (OTC: MTLQQ.PK) announced Monday that it has appointed Chris Liddell as chief financial officer and vice chairman. Liddell, 51, will leave his position as CFO of Microsoft, a role he has held since May 2005.
Liddell is set to takeover the reigns come the new year. He is leaving Microsoft as of December, 31 2009 to replace GM CFO Ray Young who was transferred to the company’s China division.
Known for keeping costs in check and building cash positions, Liddell will report directly to GM’s interim Chief Executive Officer Ed Whitacre Jr.
“Chris will lead our financial and accounting operations on a global basis and will report directly to me. We’re also looking to his experience and insights in corporate strategy as a member of the senior leadership team in helping our restructuring efforts,” added Whitacre.
General Motors did not release any details about Lidell’s pay package. However, the automaker is subject to pay restrictions imposed by regulators due to bailout money the company received.
According to some reports, Liddell’s role as GM’s Chief Financial Officer may be viewed as a tryout for the Chief Executive role. If such a move were to happen, Liddell would be the first GM head that was not an American born citizen.
Before joining Microsoft, Liddell was CFO at International Paper Co., the world’s largest forest products company. Liddell holds an engineering degree with honors from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and a Master of Philosophy degree from Oxford University in England.
