Dan Ammann
Dan Ammann | |
|---|---|
| Born | Eureka, near Hamilton, New Zealand |
| Occupation(s) | Business leader, executive |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Known for | President of General Motors (2015–2019), CEO of Cruise, head of ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions |
Dan Ammann is a business leader from New Zealand currently serving as the head of ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions. He formerly held the position of CEO at Cruise and was the President of General Motors (GM) between 2015 and 2019. Ammann joined GM after its 2009 bankruptcy as treasurer and later took on the role of CFO. Prior to his tenure at GM, he was the managing director and leader of industrial investment banking at Morgan Stanley.
Early life
Ammann was born and brought up in Eureka, close to Hamilton, New Zealand. He earned a bachelor’s degree in management studies from the University of Waikato in 1994.
Investment banking
Starting his career in investment banking at Credit Suisse First Boston in 1993, Ammann moved to New York City in 1997. Two years later, he joined Morgan Stanley, where by 2004 he had risen to managing director and head of industrial investment banking. His responsibilities included advising on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and restructuring for clients across technology, services, and manufacturing sectors. A significant part of his career was serving as the lead advisor during GM’s bankruptcy reorganization.
GM
After GM’s restructuring, Ammann became treasurer in 2010. He oversaw GM’s initial public offering in November that year and was promoted to CFO in 2011. He also led GM Financial and held the role of executive vice president before being named GM’s president in January 2014. Following this appointment, the New Zealand Herald referred to him as "one of the most powerful Kiwi businessmen globally". As president, Ammann was among the select few at GM certified to test drive vehicles on the demanding Nürburgring track.
His leadership covered product lines such as Chevrolet, Cadillac, and Cruise. In 2018, Ammann delegated Cadillac oversight to GM product chief Mark Reuss to concentrate on Cruise. He was instrumental in GM’s acquisition of Cruise in 2016, expanding the company from a team of around 40 to nearly 1,000 employees and spearheading GM's shift towards electric and autonomous vehicle technologies.
In addition, Ammann joined the board of Lyft in 2016 when GM invested $500 million in the ride-sharing company, stepping down two years later.
Cruise
Ammann remained GM’s president until January 1, 2019, when he transitioned to become CEO of Cruise, GM’s autonomous driving division. He continued to be part of GM’s executive leadership team during this period. His departure from Cruise occurred in December 2021 without any public statement.
ExxonMobil
In 2022, ExxonMobil named Ammann as leader of its Low Carbon Solutions unit. ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods emphasized Ammann’s expertise as vital for progressing the company’s initiatives in low-carbon technologies.
Personal life
Ammann is married and has two children.