Kevin E. Wale is named the new chairman and managing director of GM China Thursday after his predecessor Philip Murgaugh quit two days ago, according to sources with the General Motors Corp. (Photo: GE Website)

    SHANGHAI, April 1 (Xinhuanet) -- Kevin E. Wale was named the new chairman and managing director of GM China Thursday after his predecessor Philip Murgaugh quit two days ago, according to sources with the General Motors Corp.

    Kevin Wale used to be GM Europe vice president and chairman of the Vauxhall Mortors and GM Britain. Before he joined Vauxhall, Wale took charge of the financial sector of GM's Asia unit, which covers 15 countries in the region.

    Kevin Wale was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1954. He is a graduate of Melbourne University, where he obtained a bachelor of commerce degree with honors. He holds additional qualifications from the General Motors Institute in the United States.

    Wale has worked in various roles within sales, marketing, planning, finance and general management. His background in the region and ability to work with his partners made him a natural candidate to participate in developing China's automobile sector, said GM chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner.

    Wale will live in Shanghai, China's largest metropolis, and take charge of GM business in China, including Hong Kong and Taiwan. Enditem

    GM China chairman Philip Murtaugh resigns

Philip Murtaugh, chairman and CEO of GM China, has quitted from the posts he has held for nearly five years, according to an announcement made by the GE China unit. (Photo: GE China Website)

    Philip Murtaugh, chairman and CEO of GM China, has quitted from the posts he has held for five years, according to an announcement made by the GE China unit.

    The announcement spoke highly of Murtaugh's contributions to GM's business development in China and said Murgaugh was leaving for "personal reasons" that have nothing to do with business.

    Murtaugh's whereabouts remain unknown, and sources said he willnot take another job at GM.

    Murtaugh, 50, is seen as having played a key role in bringing GM into China. As GM China chairman and CEO, Murtaugh is in control of seven joint ventures, two subsidiaries with 100 percentGM financing on China's mainland and GM businesses in China's Taiwan province and Hong Kong.

    Troy Clarke, GM's Shanghai-based Asia-Pacific president, will oversee the carmaker's businesses in China until a replacement is found, according GM China.

    GM sold a record 492,014 cars last year, a 27 percent jump from 2003.

    Although GM announced recently that the company would post its biggest quarterly loss in 13 years, insiders say China is still a profitable market for GM. Enditem