Automotive News Canada - August 2022 - 6

6
* AUGUST 2022
EVs: A positive
charge for women
The shift of electric vehicles is really a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to transform GM Canada and the Canadian
automotive industry. We are looking for new levels of talent,
and women make up a huge portion of that new talent base.
MAUREEN KEMPSTON DARKES
Former GM Canada president
By PETRINA GENTILE
T ORONTO CORRESPONDENT
WHEN MAUREEN KEMPSTON
Darkes took the helm of GM Canada
in 1994, she was the highest ranking
woman at a North American car
company.
" It was certainly a unique experience.
In fact, there were hardly any
women in the C-suite anywhere in
business in Canada, " said Kempston
Darkes.
Today, she sees greater opportunities
for women.
" The shift of electric vehicles is
really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
to transform GM Canada and the
Canadian automotive industry. We
are looking for new levels of talent
and women make up a huge portion
of that new talent base. "
Women comprise a " substantial
portion " of the more than 1,000 engineers
and software developers at
GM's Canadian Technical Centres
in Ontario, and 50 per cent of new
hires at the Oshawa Assembly
Plant, she noted.
" That is something
new from
the time I was in
the business. "
Kempston
GM Canada
President
Marissa West
personifies
the progress
of women at
GM, said
said Maureen
Kempston
Darkes.
" Frankly,
I'm quite
enthused. "
FILE PHOTO
Darkes steered
GM Canada from
1994 to 2001.
Later in her
career, she continued
to break
barriers as the
president of GM
Latin America,
Africa and Middle
East, a role that
spanned three
diverse continents
and 84
countries. She
held the position
from 2002 until
her retirement in
2009, although she
remains active in automotive as a
member of GM's Monetary Board.
Inducted May 12 into the
Canadian Business Hall of Fame,
Kempston Darkes is excited by technological
advances, such as self-driving
vehicles, and industry's drive
toward diversity, equity and inclusion.
" Frankly,
I'm quite enthused
when I'm at GM Canada and I see
the number of women that are in
executive positions today, " she said,
citing such leaders as Marissa West,
GM Canada's president and managing
director.
" It is developing and it's developing
rapidly. "
Kempston Darkes spoke to
Automotive News Canada on a wide
range of issues facing the industry.
DOES A DIVERSE WORKPLACE
IMPROVE A COMPANY'S BOTTOM
LINE AND THE CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE?
" Absolutely. It's extremely
important. The auto industry
thrives on talent and he who has the
best talent and uses it most effectively
will win in the
business. Your best
ideas come from a
collaborative environment.
This role
of collaboration and
diversity is absolutely
essential to
the success of the automotive business
going forward. Really great
senior leaders recognize that value
of diversity. "
HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY ATTRACT
MORE WOMEN?
" That's a leadership responsibility
in the auto industry. In my
day, we started the GM Women's
Advisory Council; it still exists and
is very active in GM Canada today.
We have women leaders reaching
out to schools and talking to young
people about careers in STEM [science,
technology, engineering, and
mathematics] and in the automotive
industry. It takes a lot of hard
work and personal involvement. "
TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE
YOUR SUCCESS?
" I always had a tremendous
team of people that supported me
and each other. Your ability to collaborate
with people, get out of
your comfort zone and take on new
opportunities is very relevant to
your ability to grow and to become
involved more in senior management
... Those are key skills to
move forward in business today.
HOW DID YOU OVERCOME
OBSTACLES DURING YOUR CAREER?
" When I first came into the business,
there weren't other women in
the C-suite, so it was quite unique,
not just for me, but for the people I
was working with. You had to make
your presence felt. Making people
understand you intended to be relevant
and were going to make a positive
contribution took time. But
with time and hard work I made
my way in the business. I had a lot
of support from senior male leaders
who also saw the value of diversity
and different perspectives can bring
to the business. "
DID YOU EVER WANT TO THROW IN
THE TOWEL?
" Well, sure. Who doesn't have
some of those moments? But it
always came back to the fact that I
had the vision and values that GM
espouses around the world. "
WHAT IS YOUR LEGACY?
" For me personally, the only
real legacy that you leave in your
business career is the people you
develop to go on to take future
leadership positions and knowing
that they will develop the next generation
of leaders because that's
what really counts. The technology
may change, the methods of manufacturing
may change, but it will
always take tremendously talented
people to lead a business. For me,
it was the talent I developed. "
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE
FOR WOMEN IN AUTO?
" Be optimistic about your
careers. Take on new challenges
and learn to be collaborative. Get
out of your comfort zones early. Be
opportunistic, and go forward with a
sense of purpose. " - ANC
TRENDING
STORIES
automotivenews.ca
ONGOING WEB COVERAGE
AUTO SHOW SEASON
The North American International Auto Show returns to Detroit,
Sept. 14 to 25, kicking off the worldwide auto show season early
this year.
THE COST OF . . . EVERYTHINGRising inflation has the potential to affect big-ticket purchases, while
significant bumps in interest rates will impact the financing terms to
buy them. But will that begin to soften the demand for new vehicles,
including higher-priced electrics?
CHIP CRISIS EXPECTED TO SLOWLY IMPROVE
STEFAN HARTUNG, GLOBAL CHAIRMAN OF ROBERT
Bosch, the world's largest supplier of auto parts, says it's going
to be a while before microchip output is back to normal. " It will be
better at the end of this year than now, but it can't be fully solved
until beyond then. " He expects the crisis to last deep into 2023.
" Hopefully, at the end of next year, we'll have a much clearer view
of how to move ahead with the demand growth. "
TOYOTA LINEUP GETS A NEW CROWN
AN UPCOMING TOP-OF-THE-LINE VEHICLE FOR CANADA
and the United States will revive a Toyota nameplate that hasn't
been used in
the two countries
in 50
years. Toyota
calls the
Crown a fullsize
sedan
with a " higher
ride-height
design. " The
styling is
much closer to that of a fastback crossover, such as the Audi Q5
Sportback. The four-door will offer a standard hybrid powertrain
for the XLE and midrange Limited, while a higher-performing system
is reserved for the Platinum trim.
PHOTO: TOYOTA
STELLANTIS LOOKS TO CUT WITHOUT THE PAIN
AS IT LOOKS TO REDUCE STAFFING LEVELS WHILE
avoiding layoffs, Stellantis is offering a retirement incentive program
to eligible employees at its Ontario assembly plants in
Windsor and Brampton. The incentives are being offered " in order
to minimize the impact on our workforce. ...As we transition to a
sustainable, mobility tech company, we continue to review our
operations for efficiencies, " the company said in a statement July
26. Financial terms of the offers were not disclosed.
ELECTRIC BLAZER'S RANGE TOPS 500 KM
CHEVROLET PLANS TO LAUNCH THE 2024 BLAZER EV IN
a trim-by-trim cadence beginning next summer with the 2LT model
priced at $56,598,
including shipping.
Eventually, the
nameplate will have
starting prices ranging
from $51,998 for
the most basic version
to $80,998 for
an SS performance
model. Depending
on the trim level, the Blazer EV has an estimated range of 397 to
515 kilometres on a full charge, according to General Motors.
PHOTO: CHEVROLET
HYUNDAI RECRUITS A TROUBLESHOOTER
CANADIAN BRIAN LATOUF IS HYUNDAI'S
new global safety chief. Latouf, who joined
Hyundai in 2019 after 27 years at General
Motors, says he will focus on data analysis
and testing to detect vehicle problems earlier
to solve them. Hyundai has been dealing
with clogged oil ports in engines, electrical
shorts and brake-fluid leaks. - ANC
PHOTO: HYUNDAI
" A substantial portion " of the more than 1,000 engineers and software developers at GM's Canadian
Technical Centres in Ontario are women, said Maureen Kempston Darkes. PHOTO: GM CANADA
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Automotive News Canada - August 2022

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