WASHINGTON — General Motors Co. has hired Missy Owens as its director of environment, sustainability and governance policy within the Detroit automaker’s global regulatory affairs and transportation policy group.
Owens, a former senior official in the Obama administration and the niece of President Joe Biden, will lead policy efforts in those areas while working to form alliances and foster collaboration in partnership with GM’s sustainability team.
She started the newly created role Monday. She reports to David Strickland, GM’s vice president of global regulatory affairs and transportation technology policy.
The Detroit News first reported Owens’ hiring Wednesday.
“We are excited to welcome Missy Owens to our growing team,” Strickland said in a statement. “Missy’s extensive experience across organizations leading teams to establish sustainability policies will be an asset as we drive towards a carbon-neutral future by 2040.”
Prior to joining GM, Owens spent eight years at the Coca-Cola Co., most recently as director of government relations, federal and diplomatic, where she worked with Congress and the former Trump administration to promote policies important to the company, including sustainability.
During the Obama administration, Owens held senior leadership roles such as deputy chief of staff at the Energy Department and later chief of staff to the Commerce Department’s deputy secretary.
She has a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a doctorate in law from Brooklyn Law School.
Owens’ hiring follows an ongoing effort by GM to strengthen its presence in D.C. and bulk up its office here as the automaker goes all-in on EVs.
GM aims to stop selling new gasoline-powered cars and trucks by 2035. Last month, the automaker said it would pull ahead significant EV investments through 2025 and deliver a total of 400,000 EVs in North America over the next two years.
GM’s recent hiring strategy has included the addition of former NHTSA chief Strickland to the team in September and public policy veteran Omar Vargas in July.
The election of CEO Mary Barra for a two-year term as chair of the Business Roundtable, a Washington group that represents the CEOs of some of America’s largest companies, also amps up GM’s D.C. clout.
