Does GM have a female CEO?
Yes. General Motors is led by a female CEO, Mary T. Barra, who has headed the company since 2014 and remains in the role as of 2025.
Mary Barra: Background and ascent
Born in 1961, Barra joined GM as a co-op student in 1980 after studying electrical engineering at General Motors Institute (now Kettering University). She held a series of manufacturing, engineering, and leadership roles across the company before becoming CEO in January 2014, the first woman to lead a major global automaker. She was named chairman of the board in 2016, and has since steered GM through a decade of rapid change in mobility and energy.
Significance of her role
Barra's appointment was widely viewed as a milestone for gender representation in corporate leadership, and her strategy has framed GM's response to industry shifts, regulatory pressure, and a push toward a more electrified, software-driven product lineup.
Milestones under Barra's leadership
The following milestones illustrate major shifts in strategy and outcomes since her tenure began.
- First woman to lead a major global automaker as CEO, setting a high-profile example for the industry.
- Guided GM through continued safety reforms and quality improvements following the ignition-switch crisis era, with a focus on accountability and cultural change.
- Launched and accelerated GM's electric-vehicle strategy centered on the Ultium battery platform and a broad EV product pipeline across Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac and Buick.
- Expanded the company's autonomous-driving program through Cruise, establishing it as a strategic priority in the roadmap for future mobility.
- Placed GM on a path toward carbon neutrality, with commitments to eliminate tailpipe emissions from new light-duty vehicles by 2035 and to pursue broader sustainability goals through 2040 and beyond.
Barra's leadership during this period has been credited with accelerating GM's transition to electrification, strengthening the company's financial profile, and reshaping its global footprint to emphasize software-enabled vehicles and services.
Strategic priorities and initiatives
To give readers a sense of how Barra is directing GM's future, the following prioritized initiatives have defined the company's course in recent years.
- Electrification and battery technology: scaling the Ultium platform, accelerating EV launches, and expanding charging infrastructure partnerships.
- Autonomous mobility and software: advancing Cruise and integrating software-driven features into GM's vehicles.
- Sustainability and governance: pursuing carbon neutrality goals, improving safety culture, and strengthening governance and diversity at the top level.
- Global product strategy and profitability: optimizing the portfolio, aligning operations across regions, and improving margins while meeting regulatory and consumer demand for cleaner mobility.
These initiatives reflect Barra's dual focus on financial discipline and long-term investments in a zero-emission, software-oriented vehicle lineup.
Current status and broader impact
As of 2025, Mary Barra continues to serve as chair and CEO of General Motors. The company remains committed to an all-electric future for new light-duty vehicles in the U.S. and Canada by 2035 and to broader emissions reductions in manufacturing and operations. Barra's leadership is often cited as a symbol of progress for women in corporate leadership, and GM's ongoing investments in EVs, Cruise, and software reflect a long-term strategy that aims to reshape not just GM, but the broader auto industry.
Summary
Mary Barra is the female CEO of General Motors, a position she has held since 2014. Under her leadership, GM has pursued a bold electrification strategy, expanded autonomous-driving initiatives, and committed to sustainability targets, while navigating global market challenges. Her tenure marks a notable period in automotive leadership with implications for industry norms and the future of mobility.
