DETROIT – General Motors' long-time head of manufacturing is retiring, and the company has hired a former Tesla and Google executive to fill his shoes. The Detroit automaker said on Tuesday that Gerald Johnson, executive vice president of Global Manufacturing and Sustainability, will pass the baton to Jens Peter "JP" Clausen, a former executive with Tesla, Lego and, most recently, Google. Johnson's departure isn't unexpected after a 44-year tenure with the automaker, however GM also announced another more surprising departure on Tuesday: that of Mike Abbott, executive vice president of software and services. Baris Cetinok, current vice president of product in software and services, has been named Abbott's interim replacement while a search is conducted. The company's board members include former Tesla President of Global Sales and Service Jon McNeill.

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Persons: Gerald Johnson, Jens Peter, JP, Clausen, Johnson, Mike Abbott, Abbott, Baris Cetinok, Elon Musk, JB Straubel, Tesla's, Tesla, Gingko Bioworks, Jon McNeill Organizations: Motors, Global Manufacturing, Labor, DETROIT –, Google, Detroit, Sustainability, GM, Apple, Tesla, Softbank, company's, Technology, Global Sales Locations: Warren , Michigan, DETROIT, Nevada, Reno, Zymergen