GM Names Former Apple Executive to Head Consolidated Software Team

General Motors (GM) has named former Apple executive Mike Abbott to lead a new software organization.

As executive vice president, software, Abbott will lead a team that will bring together three software functions within the company that are currently distinct, GM said in a Tuesday (May 9) press release.

The newly consolidated organization will develop vehicle and enterprise software technologies and solutions and deliver digital services and features to retail and commercial customers, according to the release.

“We have entered the next phase of our technology driven transformation focused on rapidly scaling new EV [electric vehicle] models and our Ultifi software platform, which will drive faster innovation and enable new and exciting customer experiences,” GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra said in the release. “Mike’s experience as a founder and entrepreneur coupled with his proven track record creating and delivering some of the market’s most compelling software-defined solutions for consumers and companies make him an excellent fit at GM.”

Abbott most recently served as vice president of Apple’s Cloud Services team and was responsible for developing core infrastructure for iCloud, iMessage, Private Relay, Mail and other cloud-based services, according to the press release.

Before that, Abbott was general partner at venture capital (VC) firm Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers (KPCB) and led teams responsible for developing applications and services at Twitter, Palm and Microsoft, the release said.

“I’m a product person at heart, so as the transformation of transportation quickly accelerates, I know that software is the catalyst for redefining experiences for consumers and enterprises like never before,” Abbott said in the release. “GM is playing a pivotal role in this shift and I’m excited to join the team and bring my experience in software to bear to not only take advantage of the massive opportunities that lay ahead for the company but to help change the world.”

PYMNTS research has found that as the number of connected vehicles on the road continues to grow, developers are producing tools that serve a variety of use cases for consumers, commercial drivers and fleet managers alike.

These innovations are driving a global automotive software market that one recent study said is expected to have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% between now and 2030, as reported in “Reshaping Global Business with Connected Vehicles,” a PYMNTS and American Express collaboration.