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EP 27: Jess Bala talks about General Motors culture in Australia and Detroit HQ
24 Plays3 days ago
On this week’s episode of The Auto Ethnographer, host John Stech speaks with Jess Bala, Managing Director of General Motors Australia & New Zealand. The native Australian speaks about her experiences working for GM in both Australia and at the company’s headquarters in Detroit, half a world away.
Jess is currently launching the Cadillac brand as an EV-only brand Down Under. And she is uniquely qualified to do this. She has 13 years of product planning experience with GM, starting with the Australian Holden brand and ending as Director of Cadillac Product Planning & Product Marketing in Detroit prior to her return to Australia. She truly knows the brand, the product, and its targeted consumers.
Rounding out her product planning experience, Jess also served as Chief of Staff in GM CEO Mary Barra’s office. Here she learned global lessons about the company and the auto industry as a whole, lessons she would take back and leverage in her current role as Australia & New Zealand’s Managing Director.
She shares some keen insights on Australians and Americans, their similarities and differences. Though fairly similar, not only in language, there are key differences that set them apart.
Learn more about the Auto Ethnographer podcast at https://www.auto-ethnographer.com
Follow on Instagram for a daily dose of unusual vehicles spotted in unusual places – the intersection of cars and culture. https://www.instagram.com/auto.ethnographer/
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Transcript
00:00:00
Speaker
but I'd say culturally we're not too dissimilar. um I would say Aussies generally, we probably present as a little bit laid back sometimes, but still very, very passionate.
Introduction to The Auto Ethnographer Podcast
00:00:10
Speaker
Hello and welcome to The Auto Ethnographer. I'm John Steck, your host on this journey. We travel the globe to bring you stories about culture and the global automotive industry. Fasten your seatbelt and let's get started.
00:00:23
Speaker
Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the Auto Ethnographer.
Meet Jess Bala, GM's Managing Director in Australia and New Zealand
00:00:27
Speaker
I'm really pleased to have this week as a guest, Jess Bala, Managing Director of General Motors Australia and New Zealand.
00:00:35
Speaker
She's been in the role for two years and is currently launching the Cadillac brand as an all electric brand down under. Nobody is better suited for this than Jess as a 13 year veteran of product planning.
00:00:46
Speaker
She knows the product inside out. A native of Australia just spent a decade in the United States at General Motors headquarters in a variety of product planning roles, including electric vehicles, C-segment cars, mid-sized trucks and vans, and ultimately,
00:01:04
Speaker
the Director of Cadillac Product Planning and Product Marketing, which perfectly suited her in preparation for her current role.
Jess Bala's Early Automotive Experiences and Career Path
00:01:12
Speaker
Now she's back in Australia, and we'll talk about her experiences working in and with the Americans.
00:01:19
Speaker
Jess, welcome to this week's episode. Thank you so much for having me, John. It's great to be here. The good news is that our time zones are not so spread out, so it's fairly convenient for both of us.
00:01:32
Speaker
Absolutely. Although I'd rather be in Thailand with you right now than cold Melbourne. I can imagine. That's right. It is wintertime down there. I keep talking about summertime on my podcast.
00:01:44
Speaker
Let's go back and talk a little bit about your your origin story in the automotive industry. um How did you first find yourself drawn to the industry? How did Jess Bala jump into the automotive industry? Was there a particular moment or an influence that brought you in?
00:02:00
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, some of my earliest memories as a child go back to always attending the local auto shows and car shows with my dad and and his best mate at the time and always just spending hours looking around cars. And if I'm completely honest, that wasn't something, you know, when you're going through high school and even through early years at university.
00:02:20
Speaker
Saw it as an industry I was going to go in. um I always wanted to be a doctor and follow in my father's footsteps. Ended up doing law, so obviously very different again, but was actually walking to my car at Monash University here in Melbourne and stumbled across a careers fair where Holden was advertising what was its co-op program. So sort of like a student an intern program and obviously Holden at the time and still is probably the most iconic auto brand here locally in Australia and New Zealand.
00:02:48
Speaker
And it was just something that I was drawn to and thought, you know what, this is really different from anything I've done in the last few years, the sort of jobs and different internships I've done during my studying.
00:02:59
Speaker
let's have a go at this and see if I have the chance to work for one of the biggest brands in Australia. And it was really like a bit of a sliding doors moment. And now the rest is history and I wouldn't have changed a thing.
00:03:11
Speaker
It sounds actually very similar to to my accidental beginning in the auto industry as well. I was a chemist in the beginning of my career. You you mentioned Holden. um It's a brand that General Motors unfortunately wound down while you were away in the United States.
00:03:27
Speaker
How did working with that brand prepare you for your automotive ventures ahead? Because you were working with that brand for a couple of years before you went to the US. Yeah, I was. I'd been at Holden for about six years before I headed headed stateside with detroit to ah sorry to Detroit to join General Motors
Transition from Holden to General Motors in Detroit
00:03:45
Speaker
at the HQ. And, you know, at the time, obviously, Holden had been in its prime. You know, the Commodore was the best selling car in the country for so long. you even still to this day, the brands talked about very affectionately within within General Motors. you know It was a very iconic brand that had an amazing engineering and design center here.
00:04:04
Speaker
um And a lot of great General Motors and Holden talent from down under did end up over in Michigan. And I would say working for the brand in Australia and sort of being you know a big fish in a small pond before going over and becoming a very small fish and really an ocean when I got over to Detroit,
00:04:22
Speaker
really set myself up because i was I was able to understand how the company worked, obviously on a much smaller scale, but then it wasn't starting completely afresh when I got over there. And I think that definitely helped. And coming from an organisation here in Australia that had such a breadth of opportunities when you were working here really set me up and and put me in good stead to really hit the ground running once I landed in Detroit.
00:04:49
Speaker
ah That's fascinating. um just Just that intersect between the the two companies. So how would you define Holden? it Clearly, it was an Australian brand sold, I believe, only in Australia.
00:05:00
Speaker
Would you say that in terms of the culture of the company, it was truly an Australian company? or Or was there a heavy influence coming across from the United States? Oh, look, I mean, to your point, you know, Holden was only sold in in Australia, in New Zealand, but we did export cars um from here around the world. So, for example, you know, the Holden Commodore SS went as the Chevy SS over to the US s and other parts around the world. So we were definitely very much part of the parent company, but also being the ones that knew our market the best were able to influence our market the best as well. So, yes, we're part of a much bigger organisation and there are,
00:05:39
Speaker
practices and processes that go along with that. But I would say, especially with the car that was built and manufactured and engineered here locally, we were allowed to have a lot of governance over that, which was really exciting.
00:05:53
Speaker
So you you had your early product planning days and in in your career with Holden. um was Was there a lot of interface then with with the US at that time um with with regards to um other products that were being developed in the US for other markets? Or or was that something that was really purely ah oriented towards the Australian market at that time?
00:06:17
Speaker
No, i mean, I was involved in several products at that time. So in my my final role at Holden before I went over to the US, I was the product planner for the VF Commodore. So I'm lucky enough to call that that car my baby um and obviously knowing where it where it ended from there. so But it was an amazing program to be on and be able to be part of that launch with the media here right before I left. But then I was also involved with the Colorado um as well as the Holden tracks that that did very well here in Australia in New Zealand as well and with those products as they're as we call home roomed from other markets within General Motors whether it be Korea um South America Detroit itself that meant I had regular interaction with people within the company in other parts of the world and that meant that by the time I got over to Detroit I wasn't going over knowing no one I already had a
00:07:07
Speaker
fairly decent, albeit small, but decent network that I could tap into the minute I landed to sort of help me navigate the much bigger operation that is General Motors. So let's let's take that opportunity then to ah to to do that Pacific crossing. and And let's talk about your move to Detroit.
00:07:25
Speaker
what What would you say struck you the most personally or professionally about the cultural shift when you first landed?
Cultural Differences: Australia vs. US
00:07:32
Speaker
Yeah, I think there's a little bit of, you know, people just assume where you're going from one English speaking country to another. It can't really be that different. But I would say that's not always always the case.
00:07:44
Speaker
Fundamentally, the job was obviously very similar, just with a lot more layers to get the work done once I got to headquarters. But I'd say personally, some of the biggest differences were just sort of i think Australians very much have this nature where work almost blends into personal life. you You build these amazing personal friendships with the people you work with. Often you go out for after work drinks and things like that.
00:08:08
Speaker
I found there was a bit more of a segregation um in the US, whereas work was work and and personal life was personal life. Obviously, there are always exceptions to that, but that was definitely something that sort of struck me as a little bit different when I first got over there.
00:08:22
Speaker
But I think, you know, really going to Michigan, I couldn't be any further away from from home than possible. um And that became quite evident as as things happened globally. You know, think about COVID and things in my time over there and being so far from home, but then at the same time, being so incredibly thankful for for technology, you know, things like FaceTime and All those allowed me to keep very much in touch with the people I needed to back at home.
00:08:47
Speaker
But I'd say even on ah on a professional level, the big differences I felt between the two, I guess, regions or or countries from an operating standpoint is Holden being so much smaller at the time made the different levels of leadership very accessible.
00:09:03
Speaker
I think that in Australia we very much respect hierarchy but it's still something that's attainable and it's something I try and practice with my team here now that my door is always open you can come and talk to me about anything I want the whole team to be part of the conversation and the decision and take everyone on the journey not that that's not the case in the US it was just more that it's much ah a much bigger company with a lot more layers so getting access to obviously higher up the company became a longer process and often could be a little bit more difficult.
00:09:34
Speaker
So then there was ah clearly a difference in the decision making process. so it was more layered, as you say, and and perhaps a little bit more complex because of those those layers, simply from the size of the organization.
00:09:48
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. And I mean, ah I think as the size of size of the organization here and especially now locally, um i think it allows us to be quite nimble and we can act quite quickly um for those decisions that impact us directly.
00:10:02
Speaker
Obviously, there are decisions that we need to still be a part of from either a regional or a global level, and we absolutely do that. But I think having that time in the US and now being able to bring that experience back home, it allows me to have that lens as to understand how we as a bigger company make some of those decisions and how long it might take us to get somewhere versus escalating at the right time and things like that.
00:10:28
Speaker
Oh, that's great. did Did you find any, um let's say, personal differences in in the decision making process, like how you had to put an argument together or you know build a case in terms of taking a decision that that you were pushing for?
00:10:45
Speaker
um I'd say probably one of the biggest differences I found, and and it it wasn't huge by any magnitude, was just the delivery. I think Australians, I think we're pretty direct.
00:10:56
Speaker
um straight to the point but also a little bit more laid back in some elements so often I would just bring things forward and sort of get straight into the discussion you know this is what we're trying to achieve today here are the points here are the potential issues let's make a decision and sort of really try and jump through it um versus going through a full-blown presentation but I will say In my role working as Chief of Staff for Mary Barrow, our CEO, that was something I definitely saw her try and implement as well. Let's get to the decision quickly.
00:11:28
Speaker
Let's only go through what we need to talk about um because obviously we're in so many meetings a day and we need to move quite rapidly with an industry that's moving so quickly as well around us. Making those decisions really quickly is critical to being successful as well.
00:11:45
Speaker
So operating it at that kind of a level with with this, um but well, basically directly with the CEO, you you obviously had quite a view, a broad view of the company and the industry. Did did that have any ah ah big ah impact on your view of the industry when you saw it from from this kind of a high level?
Working with GM CEO Mary Barra
00:12:05
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I always knew it was complex, you know, and we but that that role gave me the viewpoint of sort of the policy that that we go through as well and the real global nature. and What I loved about that role the most was just being able to sit in with with Mary and her senior leadership team and just listen. And that was really the intent of the role, understand how the top people in the company make their decisions and how they pivot so quickly from topic to topic, depending on what's going on at the time.
00:12:35
Speaker
and know It could be products related, comms related, policy and government related to other regional topics. And we just had to pivot so quickly um and being able to watch that team be so skilled in that area and just jump around so quickly and make decisions and move um move on, was was really amazing. And you know what I love about this industry so much is that we're really shaping how people get from A to B every day. And we talk about how we're going through the biggest transformation since horse and cart you know ice engine, to what we're seeing now.
00:13:11
Speaker
um and being able to have an impact on how people will adopt to that and how they will get around is is really cool. So being able to see that at that CEO level view was amazing.
00:13:23
Speaker
So that must have obviously had an impact then on your kind of day-to-day product planning activities. you You were a product planner before, then then you worked in this executive staff and then you went back to product planning.
00:13:37
Speaker
what What kind of, ah let's say new lens did you have on ah working on product planning after being in that executive support position? Yeah, I think it really helps with determining priorities and what we should be focusing on in the short, mid and long term. Knowing where the company and our senior leadership team wanted to get to in say even the next 12 months to five years to 10 years really helped as the Cadillac team and I were laying out what our product portfolio should look like and the level of flexibility we wanted to build into that as the industry is changing so much. so
00:14:13
Speaker
it helped me with understanding what I should really maybe push more heavily for, where I may need to sort of let some things go and when to be comfortable to be, you know, in some forums in that role, I was i would go in and actually be the the lowest level person in the room, but knowing what I had learned in the role previously, know when to speak up and and and not to, and just sort of having the ability to read the room, I think definitely helped.
00:14:40
Speaker
Oh, that's fantastic. And and that that must ah certainly be appreciated by the product teams that you worked with in terms of being able to get things pushed through. How did you... absolutely.
00:14:52
Speaker
How did your role then evolve with regards to adapting products or strategy to international markets? Because now you've got this more global view. You've been in Australia, you're in the US, you're looking at other markets.
00:15:05
Speaker
Obviously, you have to kind of turn off the Australian hat a little bit, take it off and and look with some other hats on. How did that work for you? How did you evolve into this kind of a product adaptation role?
00:15:18
Speaker
Yeah, and I think the the main thing is always keeping the customer atcent the at the centre of everything that we do. They're they're our end customer. We need to build vehicles that they want and that they see value in. And and especially in Cadillac, it's about that emotional connection.
00:15:33
Speaker
Such an iconic brand, especially in the US, but now growing globally as well. When you look across the industry and how many brands are out there and it really the choice that the customer has, Part of it is how do you differentiate yourself from the competition and how do you really draw that emotional connection between the customer and the vehicle?
00:15:52
Speaker
So we spent a lot of time doing research, talking to customers from very early on stages, you know sort of from ideation to conception of vehicles all the way through to actually launching them.
00:16:03
Speaker
Because preferences change, the industry changes quite quickly. So we need to be nimble enough to keep up with that. But if we don't have the customer at the centre of what we're trying to do it's just not going to work. So I think that was really the pinpoint. And then pulling on all of our global colleagues to really lean on them and trust their expertise as to they know their market and their customer best.
00:16:26
Speaker
And so what are their priorities? What are their unique selling points that we need to build into these vehicles globally? Let's then zoom in just a little bit to the Australian customer. Since you're talking about consumers, um what what would you say are some specific differences in vehicle expectations between American and Australian consumers? We we know that historically,
00:16:49
Speaker
Australia was very famous for the the high-powered V8 drive trains, ah utes, which probably nobody else on the planet knows what it is. um And I'll have to drop that into the into the notes later unless you want to explain it. to um And of course, Americans are famous for eating and drinking in the car and the requirement for more cup holders than people.
00:17:13
Speaker
um Are there any things that might surprise us between Australian and American customers and and what their preferences are? I think from ah like a content and spec of a vehicle level, there weren't too many big differences.
00:17:27
Speaker
um I think when you think about Australia in particular, I think of us as a quite an edgy and sort of fashion forward market in general. We like our vehicles, regardless of segment, brand, et cetera, to almost be an extension of ourselves and represent ourselves. And that's why I love Cadillac and the direction that that brand is going for our market here is such an edgy fashion forward car with the detail and things. That's why I think it suits our market so well.
00:17:55
Speaker
But would say from a content standpoint, there isn't a whole lot of difference. I would say Australians and New Zealand customers are quite techy. We're a bit more advanced in that in that aspect as to what we expect from a technology standpoint in our vehicles.
00:18:09
Speaker
But I'd say it's almost the flip side back the other way, trying to explain to my American colleagues that when I was there that, you know, we don't have the same range of product here, but yet we have more brands available here. And it's sort of trying to get them to really understand that we might be a smaller market, but there's more brand choice.
00:18:29
Speaker
And so how we go to market needs to be a little bit different as well. So I'd say it's on that that level where it's different versus the actual cars themselves. No, it certainly is a ah ah complex market in terms of the number of brands. its I would argue it's one of the most internationalized markets it is on the planet given from where the various products and brands are coming.
00:18:51
Speaker
Absolutely. When you were in Detroit, um was there ever a moment when you felt that your, let's call it, I know it's not a word, but Australian-ness brought something unique to the table?
00:19:06
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think one of the one of the things that was very much pointed out to me when i when I started and on reflection, it is definitely true that when you're in Australia, we tend to be more generalists. So if you think about our careers at companies, I know it's not as much of a done thing these days to sort of have your whole career at ah at a company, but we tend to move around a lot internally.
00:19:29
Speaker
And I think back through my career of you know almost 18 years now at at GM overall, I haven't really stayed in a role for more than two and a half years at a time. And a lot of that was was done here in Australia locally. So you get a lot of exposure, whereas when you go over to the US, there seems to be a lot more of, well, I've like i've found my place and i I want to stay in this role or this function for for my career.
00:19:54
Speaker
um But it's interesting because when I got put into the Cadillac job I had at the end of my time there, part of the reason was you've got such broad experience. So you have a big network, you know how the company operates across different functions and that's a real advantage. So I would say Australians tend to be more generalists, whereas I found that a lot of Americans would be more specialists.
00:20:16
Speaker
Now, that's a very interesting comparison, actually. i i like that that that comparison. so So then let's um let's fast forward slightly. i You returned home back to Australia two years ago um as the managing director.
00:20:31
Speaker
And personally, I've always found that to be the most fun job that I ever held in my career, um the managing director of of one or or several markets. Can you tell us a little bit about how your time abroad maybe reshaped how you lead, how how you approach leadership coming back into your home country?
00:20:53
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. well I think one of the biggest benefits of my time in in the US with the company that I've been able to leverage back here is just helping my team understand how some of these decisions are made, why I might not escalate some things and why I'll push hard on others.
00:21:09
Speaker
Just understanding the internal, I would say, politics and layers and processes has definitely helped. Plus with, you know, when you're launching a new, not just a new brand, but we've also just launched a new car under our GM specialty vehicles with the GMC Yukon.
00:21:24
Speaker
And obviously launches are quite complex. There's systems, there's vehicles, there's marketing, there's the distribution, there's everything. And so obviously things pop up, there are hurdles and things like that. And just having the network that I developed over my 10 years in the US means I can generally get us solutions and answers pretty quickly.
00:21:43
Speaker
I remember before I got over there, You know, you'd go on the intranet with all the employees and trying to navigate your way around hundreds of thousands of people to find the person to answer your question. Generally now, I know at least the function to go to if I don't know the person.
00:21:58
Speaker
And if I don't, I know someone that will know the person. So I think just helping the team move quickly is definitely the biggest asset. um And I think from my leadership style specifically, obviously I've worked for many, many people over my time at GM and you learn the things that you appreciate and maybe don't like as much from different leadership styles. And for me, I'm very much someone that's, you know, personable, builds relationships, really values that personal connection. And that's something I've tried to remind the team, you know, from the moment I got back and
00:22:29
Speaker
And I was lucky, there was a large portion of the team that i that was still here from when I was here 10 years prior, which did make the transition a lot more easier, um but also hopefully made you know the role of MD a little bit less intimidating to to the broader organisation, which is what I'm trying to trying to instill with them as well. you know it's Ignore the title, you can come and talk to me about anything at any time and my door is always open. so Hopefully they would ah agree with that, but it's something we definitely try and hone in on personally.
00:23:01
Speaker
No, that's really great. yeah I mean, it sounds like you're very valuable with the experience that you brought back and the network that you that you brought back. um And it it sounds like you're a also a valuable, let's say, bridge ah but between your Australian team and and helping them to you know communicate back to the headquarters and understand what's what's going back on over there.
00:23:25
Speaker
yes are there are there any Are there any, um let's say, company practices that you know you've chosen to kind of localize or or in a way ossify ah since reuniting and returning to Australia?
00:23:41
Speaker
Things that didn't make sense um in in from the headquarters that that you had to change around a bit?
00:23:51
Speaker
I can't think of anything directly. I'd say one thing that I do try and get the team practice around is, you know, part of being part of a global company. And obviously we do a lot of discussions and meetings on different topics and things like that. And more from my learning in my chief of staff role is just educating the team and getting them to be very much straight to the point.
00:24:12
Speaker
You know, often less is more when we're preparing slides and presentation material. let's just get straight to the point and try and jump into the discussion first versus being presented to, because I think that's when both my team here can learn, but also those that we're talking to in other parts of the of the globe can learn as well, because it just frees up more of that discussion versus being talked at. And I think that's a really valuable lesson both ways, because it generates discussion, ideation, different ways of looking at things, different viewpoints.
00:24:44
Speaker
Plus also gives my team here the opportunity to showcase their skills and passion back to to leadership in other parts of the world as well. So it sounds like but between your experience, your network and how you've been developing your local team over the last two years, you're really building some momentum for this important Cadillac brand, let's say launch or relaunch in Australia.
00:25:09
Speaker
um And in fact, and and in New Zealand, excuse me, ah as an electric vehicle only brand. Can you talk a little bit about the launch, how that's going and how ah this this return of of Cadillac is is working in Australia?
Launching Cadillac Electric Vehicles in Australia
00:25:27
Speaker
Yeah, so I mean, this is the first time Cadillac's been sold in Australia and New Zealand. So it's really exciting to be able to bring almost this next generation of vehicles to to Australia. And what's what's amazing about it is when you look at the team back in the US, whether it's myself, Michael Simcoe, Travis Hester, there's been a lot of Aussies that have had a hand in this next generation of Cadillacs, which is really nice when you think about what's what's going on locally and the automotive talent that we still have around the world. But these cars in particular, you know they're just stunning. The people that are getting in them, the customers that we're acquiring,
00:26:03
Speaker
are blown away by the attention to detail and that luxury fit and finish that have gone into these cars. So we've got some beautiful stores. We know that we're opening across the two countries.
00:26:14
Speaker
You know, the Lyric is on sale right now. And then early next year, we have the privilege of also launching the Lyric B Series, the Optic and also the Vistic all around the time of Cadillac's first ever F1 race, which will be locally here in Melbourne the first weekend of March. So there's a lot of really exciting stuff happening for the brand right now.
00:26:34
Speaker
ah It's really coming together then um with especially with with the Formula One that that really anchors a lot of timelines and things have to happen by a very specific point. Yeah, it's very exciting, really exciting.
00:26:48
Speaker
how How is the adaptation or the adoption of the Australian customer towards the electric vehicle drivetrain? i mean, again, they were very famous and well known for the V8.
00:26:59
Speaker
ah It's quite a far cry to move over to an electric drivetrain. Yeah, it is. And there's lots of discussions happening within the industry. You know, when you think about EVs, generally, obviously, there's the vehicle side of it. But beyond that, there's the infrastructure side. And when you think about our country geographically, obviously, it comes with challenges when you think about range and charging and things like that. So there's definitely an education process that goes along.
00:27:25
Speaker
with with these vehicles. So it's not just selling the brand, but it's sort of selling a lifestyle at the same time. And we've spent a lot of time as a team talking through that. um Yes, there are people that are still not comfortable for their personal reasons to make the EV shift, but then there are others that have been in EVs for some time and will never never go back to a non-EV variant of vehicles. so It's definitely a combination of of both. And obviously we see a lot of EV brands and EV only brands launching in Australia as well. So while the sort of EV adoption rate is it's still growing, but it has slowed, we think it's only going to pick up again as more of these entries come into market.
00:28:06
Speaker
No, that's definitely going to be ah big challenge, I think, from from what I can see. Again, going back to the fact that Australia is one of the most globalized markets on the planet with regards to brands, you know that's probably one of the few places on the planet where the Cadillac brand will really bump into the competing Chinese brands, for example, ah other than in in mainland China.
00:28:29
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. And it comes back to that piece around, you know, making sure we differentiate, differentiate ourselves from a lot of the competition as well. Let's dive a little bit into ah moving away from the cars a little bit, talk a little bit more about some of the the culture.
00:28:45
Speaker
um You made a ah big decade long I'll say it in quotes, visit to the United States as as an Australian. what What advice would would you give to Australians that are either working in American firms back home or that would take that decision to go live in in the US?
00:29:08
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it's funny when I think back to that moment, you know, I applied for a role thinking there's there's not a chance they're going to pick a little Aussie employee from the other side of the world to go over to headquarters and, and you know, the the rest is sort of history. And it was meant to only be three years. And to your point, it turned into 10 and that time flew and it was without a doubt one of the most amazing and and best things i've I'd done. Had there been hard times, especially at the start,
00:29:36
Speaker
Definitely. But being able to be at headquarters of one of the big three auto companies and, you know, a Fortune 500 company and everything that comes along with that was just amazing. So, plus, I think you've also got to think about the personal element of it. You know, you get to live in another country and that comes with its own benefits. Obviously, it's always hard being away from home, but just being able to experience, to your point, another culture and the travel and and everything else that goes along with that. So,
00:30:04
Speaker
i I would say without a doubt it was one of the best things that I've that i've done for sure. um Being able to work at a global company I think opens up a lot of opportunities. You get to learn about other cultures, you get to interact with other cultures and see how the differences between markets apply um and also it gives you different viewpoints as to how other brands and other markets do things as well.
00:30:25
Speaker
All of which I think are great learnings when you especially come back to such a multicultural country like ours here in Australia, it's only going to going to benefit you. So speaking of multicultural countries in in Australia, um ah being Australia, what advice could you give to an American who is looking at coming to Australia to work?
Advice for Americans Working in Australia
00:30:48
Speaker
Yeah, it's funny, the minute ah that it was announced that I was coming back to this role, I was inundated with colleagues from the US asking, you know, if you ever have job openings out there, let me know, we want to come and visit and I'd love to go live there. So there's no shortage of those requests still even two years later. But I would say, you know, obviously,
00:31:06
Speaker
the best the best skills you could bring back with you is obviously the viewpoints that you would usually have from the headquarters in the other parts of the world, but know that you're coming into a, usually a smaller smaller environment, but that means that the benefits there are often that we can move very quickly. We can be more nimble, more more agile, and those two things together often just only lead to success.
00:31:31
Speaker
is Is there one a particular point that you think the two cultures could learn something from each other? In any one thing you noticed where there's enough of a difference that they they could do some learning?
00:31:45
Speaker
Oh, that's a good one. To be honest, I think they they go very well hand in hand. um and i And what I really have enjoyed about both working here and in the US is just the exposure to to the different people, especially in a company the size of General Motors. So I'd say our cultures are ah ah fairly similar.
00:32:04
Speaker
i think they just both have you know differences versus being in a much, much larger organization over there and how they tackle and view hierarchy versus here. We're still very respectful, but you know see it as more attainable.
00:32:18
Speaker
um And I guess more accessible than what it might be when you go over to the much larger companies in the US. But I'd say culturally, we're not too dissimilar. um I would say Aussies generally, we probably present as a little bit laid back sometimes, but still very, very passionate. And, you know, I think looking at the team that I've got here now in Australia, you know, after everything that a lot of them have been through the last decade, you know, within our company here and to still be here just shows just how passionate they really are about our company and our product, which is really amazing.
00:32:50
Speaker
ah kind of stepping back and looking, you've you've done some really great things, um starting with with Holden, um working through product planning in in Australia and the US, rising up and and working directly in the staff of the CEO of General Motors, Mary Barra.
00:33:09
Speaker
um And then leading the the product planning for Cadillac brand and now returning home to Australia and and leading the company there. what What do you hope to be your your legacy in the industry?
00:33:21
Speaker
um what What do you hope to represent both both from an Australian perspective and and perhaps even a global one? Yeah, I think one thing I've always taken with me throughout my career is to almost just to trust the process.
00:33:35
Speaker
Everything within work has happened for a reason. And when I look at all the roles that I've that I've had It's funny to think that there's only two in my time that I actually actively applied for and that's the role that got me into Holden as an intern and then the role that moved me to the US. Everything else has sort of been my mentors and my sponsors saying, based on your skillset and maybe the gaps you've got, this is the role that we think you should do next to help with your growth path. i I often tell the team, you know, really trust that and and build an amazing network that can help you move that forward, regardless of what country you're in. I think that applies applies everywhere everywhere and it's definitely something I try and now pay forward to the to those on my team either here or those that I actually still mentor back in the US as well. And a lot of the team here in Australia haven't had the opportunity to go
00:34:24
Speaker
working in the Detroit headquarters. So I always say if there's an area you're interested in, let me know. I'll talk to you about it. I'll introduce you to the team over there. You can build your own network and see where it leads you. But I think it all it all comes back to sort of opening those doors for people just like they were opened for me.
00:34:42
Speaker
So it sounds to me like your your legacy is very much ah a legacy of a network or somebody that that helps your organization help and helps other people, which of course always, if you believe in karma, helps yourself as well.
00:34:56
Speaker
Yes, absolutely. So as we kind of get down to the the last minutes, I wonder if you had any particular message that you would want to give to the to the listeners, um something that that you picked up or learned along the way that you thought could be some good advice all around for people who are looking at working either outside of their country or working with a company, a foreign company in their in their home country with regards to this intercultural relationships.
00:35:27
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I think the main the main takeaway that I've had over my career at GM and my experience living overseas, but even both when I was in the US and in my roles in Australia, working with so many other countries and colleagues in other countries as well, is just embrace it.
00:35:43
Speaker
It is an amazing opportunity and an amazing asset you have to be able to do that. um And if you get presented the opportunity to move overseas, you know, funnily enough the day that we announced the holden that i was moving to detroit was the same day that detroit announced bankruptcy and someone kindly left time magazine with the picture of the rents and on my desk saying you know detroit bankrupt but you know what i wouldn't have changed a thing because i always knew that if i had made that move and it didn't pan out as well as it did i always had somewhere to come back to and i think that's that's something to really keep in front of you change is always a good thing
00:36:18
Speaker
and growing those experiences ah are is a good thing and I like to think that my experiences are definitely helping my team here with what we have to do and any chance you've got to grow and meet more people and learn new processes are always going to benefit you in the long run.
Conclusion and Embracing International Opportunities
00:36:37
Speaker
No, that's those are very wise words for sure. I totally agree with you that you know you went over there during really the beginning of very turbulent times that it's it's you learn a lot more on stormy days than you learn on sunny days. 100% agree.
00:36:55
Speaker
Well, thank you very much for joining the auto ethnographer today, Jess. um It was a really great conversation. You shared a lot of insights about ah your experience both in Australia, in the US, and then returning back to Australia with respect to the the culture working within a ah large organization.
00:37:13
Speaker
I'm sure the listeners will take a lot from today's episode. Yeah, thanks so much again, John, for having me. And if my little snippets of info help anyone else with the decision to make a big move like that across the other side of the world, then it was definitely valuable. But I owe a lot owe a lot of my success to my mentors, sponsors, colleagues and and friends. I couldn't have done any of this without them.
00:37:37
Speaker
ah that's That's great. um I love the the humility and and ah recognizing that your success is in the hands of many other people as well.
00:37:49
Speaker
So with that, what I'll do, I'd like to thank the listeners for joining us this week. I'm sure you picked up a lot of information and a lot of interesting insights about Australia um and the US with regards to the products and especially about the culture from a person who cannot possibly know it better.
00:38:12
Speaker
So with that, we'll see you next week on The Autoethnographer. Keep on driving. Thank you for joining us on today's journey. Please remember to like and subscribe to The Auto Ethnographer and leave us a rating or comment. For more information, visit our website at auto-ethnographer.com.
00:38:30
Speaker
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