Cadillac names European exec Jim Bunnell as U.S. sales chief

DETROIT -- Cadillac named Jim Bunnell as its new U.S. sales chief today as the brand looks to improve sluggish volume and implement a fresh approach under new global boss Johan de Nysschen.Bunnell, 59, who joined General Motors in 1979 and spent most of his career in sales and product planning roles at Pontiac and GMC, becomes the fourth head of Cadillac sales in a little more than two years.He will replace interim Cadillac sales head Kurt McNeil, who is also GM’s U.S. vice president of sales operations. McNeil has been in the Cadillac role since Bill Peffer, the previous sales chief, left GM for undisclosed reasons in June after 10 months in the job. Bunnell is currently vice president of sales for Chevrolet and Cadillac in Europe. Last year, GM decided to discontinue most Chevy sales there. He will report to de Nysschen, who joined Cadillac on Aug. 1 from Infiniti.Bunnell will oversee a sales and service organization of more than 100 staffers across the U.S. and drive strategies for retail sales and customer experience initiatives, GM said in a statement.He takes the job Oct. 1.“The addition of Jim to Cadillac’s leadership team is one of the key steps we are taking to strengthen the focus and alignment of our organization,” de Nysschen said in the statement. “Jim has strong experience leading automotive sales and service organizations, including the crucial partnerships with dealers that are so important to our success.”De Nysschen, who led Audi’s U.S. revival before joining Infiniti in 2012, said last week that Cadillac must build off a solid base of customers willing to pay import-level prices for the brand’s improved vehicles, even if it means sacrificing some sales volume.U.S. sales, which accounted for about 73 percent of Cadillac’s global volume in 2013, fell 5 percent through August this year vs. an 8 percent gain for all luxury brands.'Dealer guy'Howard Drake, chairman of Cadillac's National Dealer Council and owner of Casa de Cadillac in Sherman Oaks, Calif., said Bunnell is a "dealer guy" who will serve as a recognizable face to the dealer network along with the outsider execs now leading the brand. In addition to de Nysschen, Uwe Ellinghaus, a former BMW executive, joined Cadillac in January as global chief marketing officer."Dealers like him," Drake said of Bunnell. "He's run both a sales channel as well as a region."Bunnell, a Colorado native, was head of GM's north-central sales region, which includes much of the Midwest. He also was head of the Buick-Pontiac-GMC sales channel in 2007 and 2008.

Cadillac names European exec Jim Bunnell as U.S. sales chief

Featured Stories