MICHAEL SIMCOE
BIOGRAPHY
On 7 April 2016 Michael Simcoe was named vice president, GM Global Design, effective 1 May 2016 replacing Ed Welburn who will retire as of 1 July 2016.
Simcoe was previously vice president, Design, for GM International (GMI), since 5 March 2014. His design leadership responsibilities included GM’s production and advanced studios in Korea, Australia and India. He was also Holden brand champion.
Simcoe began his career at GM Holden as a designer in 1983. He had subsequent appointments as a senior designer (1985) and chief designer (1987), becoming involved in every major vehicle design program that GM Holden had undertaken.
In 1995, Simcoe became director of Design for GM Asia Pacific and was responsible for the management of collaborative projects with GM alliance partners such as Daewoo, Suzuki, Fuji Heavy Industries and Isuzu. Following that, he was appointed director of Design at GM Holden in 2001 where he oversaw the genesis of the highly successful Holden VT Commodore and WH Statesman/Caprice model ranges, creating the “flexible architecture” concept that delivered nine variants and subsequently the VE Commodore.
He began to serve as GM’s executive director of Asia Pacific Design in 2003. Simcoe led the design strategy and oversaw day-to-day design operations in the region. He also set up the new GM Korea Design Operations.
The following year, he was appointed executive director of North American Exterior Design. Simcoe was named brand champion for Chevrolet in addition to his other responsibilities in 2009. Spearheading all exterior design in North America, he led the design development of a long list of GM products, including the GMC Terrain, Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Camaro and Equinox, and Cadillac CTS sedan, wagon and coupe.
Prior to taking on his present post, Simcoe was executive director of GMI Design since 2011. He focused on further developing and growing GM Global Design operations in Korea and Australia.
Simcoe holds an Associate Diploma of Art Industrial Design from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
MICHAEL SIMCOE
TIMELINE & ACHIEVEMENTS
1983 Joined GM Holden Design
1985 Senior Designer, GM Holden
1987 Chief Designer, GM Holden
1990 Senior Designer, Advanced Production Studios, GMNA
1992 Chief Designer, GM Holden
1995 Director of Design, GM Asia Pacific
1998 Holden Commodore Coupe concept
2001 Holden Monaro
VT Commodore and WH Statesman / Caprice
2003 Executive Director Asia Pacific Design
Led the development of the new GM Korea Design Operations
2004 Executive Director of North America Exterior Design
2006 Holden VE Commodore / WM Caprice
2008 Cadillac CTS
2009 Chevrolet Brand Champion
2010 GMC Terrain
Buick LaCrosse
Chevrolet Camaro
Chevrolet Equinox
2011 Executive Director of GMI Design
2014 Vice President, GM International Design
Holden Brand Champion
2015 Chevrolet Bolt concept
Buick Avenir concept
Chevrolet Spark
2016 Chevrolet Bolt
Chevrolet Beat Activ and Essentia
Chevrolet Colorado Xtreme and Trailblazer Premier