The Aussie Out To Electrify GM

It’s a long way from bendigo to detroit, and now travis hester has gm’s future in his hands

- Bruce Newton

THE AUTOMOTIVE leviathan that is General Motors is stirring. A complete transition away from internal combustion to electric vehicles is its goal.

And there, right at the heart of one of the most complex, expensive, and expansive industrial reformations of all time, is an Australian who started his career designing wing mirrors for the Holden Commodore.

His name is Travis Hester, and while he is far from alone in being an ex-Holden employee working for one of the world’s most identifiably American mega-corps – there are so many they’re dubbed the Aussie mafia – none are more intrinsic to this make-or-break electrified quest.

In fact, within the pantheon of responsibility at GM, perhaps the only Aussie more critical to its future survival and profitability is fellow Holden graduate Michael Simcoe, GM’s global design chief.

Given his rapid rise, you might wonder how far Hester might go. According to the man who was his first boss at Holden, legendary engineering chief Tony Hyde, he has the chops to go far.

“Travis is smart, well-prepared, and genuinely likable,” says Hyde. “He knows where he wants to go and how to get there. Can he ‘do a Simcoe’? Possibly; it wouldn’t surprise me.”

From a no-bull bloke like Hyde, that’s a solid reference.

Hester’s official GM title is Chief EV Officer. EV Czar would work just as well. His newly created job and his selection for it were consecrated at the very highest levels of the company by chairman and CEO Mary Barra and president – and former Holden boss – Mark Reuss.