A third high-profile tech leader is leaving GM as part of a software-product restructuring

DETROIT – General Motors is witnessing a significant shift in its leadership as a prominent technology executive departs the company amidst ongoing restructuring efforts in its software and product sectors. Baris Cetinok, who held the position of senior vice president for software and services product management, will leave GM on December 12. This announcement follows an internal communication to employees and marks Cetinok as the third high-profile tech leader to exit the automaker in just a month. Cetinok's departure comes as GM consolidates its vehicle software engineering and global product units under the leadership of the newly appointed Chief Product Officer, Sterling Anderson. In a statement, GM expressed gratitude for Cetinok’s contributions, noting his success in building a capable software product management team. The company emphasized its commitment to integrating product management with engineering to enhance in-vehicle experiences. Joining GM in September 2023, Cetinok previously built his career at major tech companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon. His exit follows a month after he characterized his role at GM as a "product person's dream" in an interview with CNBC. Cetinok is not alone in this exodus; GM's senior vice president of software and services engineering, Dave Richardson, and Barak Turovsky, the head of GM artificial intelligence, have also departed since October. Anderson, who transitioned from co-founding the self-driving firm Aurora Innovation to GM, has stressed the importance of merging software and product management to drive the company’s success. In an interview last month, he outlined his vision of bringing together various elements for a cohesive product strategy moving forward. As GM strives to integrate technology deeper into its vehicles, this leadership shakeup reflects the broader challenges faced by the automotive industry. The competition has intensified as companies work to innovate in areas such as in-vehicle software and over-the-air updates, a space where Tesla has set the standard. GM's strategy has involved attracting talent from both automotive and technology sectors, although this has led to a pattern of brief tenures for some executives.