DETROIT — General Motors is adding a former Tesla and Lyft executive to its board of directors.
Jon McNeill, 55, was Tesla’s president of global sales, delivery and service from 2015 to 2018. He was Lyft’s chief operating officer for a year and a half before leaving to co-found the venture capital firm DVx Ventures.
At Tesla, McNeill oversaw all customer-facing operations during a period when the company’s sales more than doubled. He was known to occasionally contact owners who had complained about their vehicle on social media or online message boards.
“Jon’s passion for customers and track record driving growth in the transportation sector will be a tremendous asset to GM as we accelerate toward an all-electric future,” GM CEO Mary Barra said in a statement Tuesday. “His experience driving constructive disruption to grow businesses and his commitment to making a positive impact on society will be invaluable as we reimagine how our customers and communities move through the world.”
GM’s board now has 13 members, six of whom are women. GM added Joanne Crevoiserat, a CEO from the fashion industry, to the panel in August.
McNeill, who has an economics degree from Northwestern University, is CEO of DVx, which is focused on forming and growing breakthrough businesses that will have a positive impact on the world, GM said.
Before being hired at Tesla, he was CEO of software company Enservio and founded and sold other businesses, including Midwest Cycling, Sterling Collision Centers and Before You Move. He also is on the board of apparel retailer Lululemon Athletica.
“I am excited to help GM unlock the opportunities enabled by its transformative investments in technology,” McNeill said in GM’s statement. “GM is rapidly changing to meet the world’s need for cleaner and safer transportation and they’re uncovering new growth opportunities with every hardware and software innovation they’re introducing.”
