Michael Lohscheller will be named as the new Management Board member in charge of Finance as well as Opel/Vauxhall CFO and vice president, Finance, effective September 1. 

Lohscheller is currently executive vice president and CFO at Volkswagen Group of America where over the last four years he has led a successful turnaround driving significant growth and profit improvement.

The German native has more than 20 years of experience in senior Finance positions at companies such as Daimler, Mitsubishi Motor Europe and Volkswagen. In his current position at VW, Michael Lohscheller has broad business responsibilities for Finance, IT, Purchasing and Logistics. Lohscheller succeeds Mark N. James, whose professional future will be announced later. 

The second new Opel board member is Michael Ableson), who will be named the new Management Board member in charge of Engineering starting September, 1.

In this context, Ableson will also be named GM Europe vice president, Engineering, effective immediately. Currently, Ableson is Global Vehicle Line executive for Compact Cars, based in Russelsheim, Germany. Ableson’s responsibilities have included global engineering of compact vehicles such as the Opel/Vauxhall Astra and GTC. Ableson has been with GM for more than 25 years and had led Global Advanced Vehicle Development prior to his appointment as Vehicle Line Executive. Michael Ableson succeeds Rita Forst, who will resign from the management board.

‘I’m thanking both Rita and Mark for the hard work,’ said Steve Girsky, GM vice chairman and chairman of the Opel Supervisory Board. ‘I’m also looking forward having both, Michael Lohscheller and Mike Ableson on board. They will help accelerate the company’s revitalization plan,’ he added.

Both new appointments are subject to the approval of the Opel Supervisory Board at its next meeting.