You've spent over 30 years across the automotive and mobility ecosystem, spanning engineering, manufacturing, product development, sales, and aftermarket. What has that breadth of experience taught you about how the industry actually works, end to end?

Michelle Andersen

What it's really given me is a systems view. You stop seeing "functions" and start seeing how a decision in one part of the business ripples all the way to the customer and back again. Early in my career, I saw how an engineering choice on paper showed up as complexity in a plant, or as a service bulletin years later in the field. Later, working closer to customers and the aftermarket, I saw how all of that either builds or erodes trust. That stays with you.

It's also taught me that this is fundamentally a people and partnership business. The best strategies and products only work when engineers, manufacturing, suppliers, dealers, and service teams are aligned around a clear outcome and are willing to solve problems together. My job as a leader is often to connect those dots, translate across disciplines, and make sure we're making integrated decisions instead of optimising in silos.

You joined General Motors as VP of Corporate Strategy in December 2021 at a moment of significant transformation for the industry. What drew you to that role at that particular time?

Michelle Andersen

I don't think there's ever been a more consequential moment for this industry. Electrification, software-defined vehicles, new business models, supply chain shocks. The stakes are incredibly high, and the choices companies make now will define the next several decades.

What drew me to GM specifically was the combination of ambition and ability to execute. The vision around safer, more sustainable, and more accessible transportation is real, and it's backed by scale, talent, and a willingness to make big, long‑term investments.

The role itself sits at the intersection of all of that, technology, portfolio choices, capital allocation, culture, and it does so in a company that matters enormously to Detroit, to Michigan, and to the industry. Having the chance to help shape that trajectory, at this moment, was simply too compelling to pass up.

Your remit at GM includes linking culture to the achievement of strategic objectives. That's a connection that many organisations talk about but struggle to make real. How do you approach it in practice?

Michelle Andersen

For me, strategy is what we choose to do; culture is how we actually behave when things are hard, ambiguous, or moving fast. If those two aren't connected, you don't get the outcomes you want.

In practice, our approach has been to make the "how" as explicit and operational as the "what." That's why we've defined a small set of ways of working that are directly linked to our strategic goals, and we're now weaving them into how we run the business.

We have also found that employees really want to understand the corporate strategy at the level of their work, specifically how their work links to the overall strategy. That is something we really need to work on, as it is not only unique, but it evolves over time, and people have to see "why" our priorities adjust, that our strategy is not static, and we can adapt as needed to ensure we deliver with the pivots in the market, customer, and beyond.

The panel in Detroit explores how to align organisational demands with individual growth and team success. In your experience, where does that tension most often show up and how do you navigate it?

Michelle Andersen

The tension usually shows up at moments of constraint and change. When we're reallocating resources, when priorities shift, or when we ask already high‑performing teams to take on more. That's when organisational needs can feel at odds with what people need to grow and be sustainable.

I try to navigate it by being very clear on what problem we are really trying to solve as an organisation. That means being transparent about tradeoffs, involving people in how we sequence and staff work, and being honest when something has to come off the plate.

At the individual level, it's about staying close to what each person is trying to learn or become and finding ways to align that with the work that most needs doing. When people can see how a hard assignment connects to both the company's objectives and their own development, it becomes a shared challenge rather than something being done to them.

You hold degrees in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, and an MBA. How has that combination of technical and strategic training shaped the way you think about leadership and talent development?

Michelle Andersen

The technical training grounded me in how things really get built, in the plant, in the supply chain, in the field. It teaches you to respect constraints, to get the details right, and to think in systems instead of isolated problems. That's invaluable in an industry as complex as ours.

The MBA added a different lens: markets, finance, strategy, and organisational behaviour. It taught me how value is created and measured, and how change actually moves through an enterprise.

Together, they've shaped how I think about talent. I look for and try to develop leaders who are comfortable with ambiguity, grounded in facts and analysis, and aware of how decisions are made and the value in building relationships with people to get work done. That's why I'm a big believer in rotational experiences, cross‑functional exposure, and development paths that don't force people to choose between being "technical" or "strategic" too early.

You're also active in advancing economic growth across Michigan and Detroit. What is the connection, in your view, between a stronger automotive industry and a stronger community and why does that matter to you personally?

Michelle Andersen

In Michigan and Detroit, the connection is very direct. A healthy, forward‑looking automotive sector means good jobs, strong supplier ecosystems, opportunities for small businesses, and the tax base that funds schools and public services. When this industry thrives, it creates ladders into the middle class for entire families.

But it's not just about jobs, it's about mobility and inclusion. The products and services we create shape how people get to work, to school, to healthcare. If we do that well, with intention, we can reduce barriers and open up opportunities for more people.

Personally, it matters because I live and work in this community. The decisions we make inside the company don't stop at our walls; they show up in neighbourhoods, on main streets, and in the lives of people we may never meet. I see it as part of my responsibility, as a leader in this industry and as a Detroiter, to make sure the way we grow as a company also contributes to a more vibrant, resilient, and inclusive region.