Former GM Exec Chris Liddell Named White House Policy Chief

The White House has named a new policy chief. And he just so happens to have experience in the automotive industry.

Reuters reports that Christopher Liddell will now take up the role as the White House deputy chief of staff for policy coordination. The 59-year-old native of New Zealand previously served as vice chairman and chief financial officer at General Motors from January 2010 through April 2011.

There he was widely credited with helping the automaker recover from bankruptcy and launch its $23-billion initial public offering. Prior to GM, he served in similar capacities at Microsoft and International Paper.

“Chris was a major contributor during a pivotal time in the company’s history,” GM’s then-chairman Dan Akerson said at the time of his departure. “He guided the company’s IPO process and established a good financial foundation for the future.”

Liddell joined the Trump Administration in January 2017 when it assumed office. He first worked on transition team before coordinating areas like the modernization of information technology and electronic health records.

“He has extensive experience managing large organizations and has already overseen a number of interagency processes in the White House,” said White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, according to the Reuters report. “In his new role Chris will manage the policy process as we continue to enact the President’s agenda.”

Liddell isn’t the first senior GM executive to advise President Trump. The company’s current chairman and CEO Mary Barra served on the President’s business advisory forum from the time of his election.

She and several other high-level American business leaders distanced themselves from the Administration following the Charlottesville protests last year. US Ambassador to Morocco David Fischer previously headed up The Suburban Collection, a Michigan-based dealership group with numerous GM franchises among its 52 locations.