!NEW! Opel becomes more Efficient and Solid

• Newly-established Opel Group reflects widened scope of European activities
• From now on, Opel’s leadership team steers General Motor’s European business including Russia from the Opel Group 
• Opel Group assumes economic responsibility for all GM brands in Europe
• Adam Opel AG enjoys more solid financial basis
• No effects on quarterly reporting in Europe
• Employees’ rights of co-determination contractually guaranteed

Opel improves its organizational structure: effective 1 July 2014, the newly-established Opel Group assumes full responsibility for General Motor’s business in Europe. Through this new entity, the company aggregates the responsibilities for Opel/Vauxhall as well as all other operations of GM in Europe – including Russia. Led by Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, the management board of the Opel Group, which is almost identical to the so-far existing management board of the Adam Opel AG, will steer GM’s European business. The new entity, similar to the Adam Opel AG, will be based in Rüsselsheim.

With this organizational change, the Opel Group will also take over economic responsibility for all GM brands in Europe. Consequently, the Adam Opel AG will be able to strengthen its financial basis. The operative business of the Adam Opel AG remains unaffected by this reorganization.

Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, CEO of the management board of Opel Group GmbH: “Today, we are more than just Opel/Vauxhall. With the Opel Group, we align our organizational and legal entity structure in Europe with the business operations. We streamline our decision making processes and increase our efficiency. In brief: this reorganization is an important step in implementing our business plan DRIVE! 2022 and another sign of confidence of our parent company GM.” By 2022, the company aims to gain market share of 8 percent in Europe, increase the profit margin to 5 percent and further improve product quality as well as customer and employee satisfaction.

The employees’ rights of co-determination are contractually guaranteed in the new organizational structure. Dr. Wolfgang Schäfer-Klug, Chairman of the General Works Council: “We ensured that the right of co-determination is safeguarded to the same extent despite the organizational changes.” In reference to the foundation of the Opel Group with its about 100 employees, Dr. Schäfer-Klug said: “We are happy that Opel’s position has been further strengthened. From Opel’s perspective, the reorganization of the European business offers more opportunities for growth and employment.” 

The new Opel Group is a testimony of how important Opel has become for General Motors. The Opel leadership has taken over numerous GM responsibilities in Europe over the past two years. Among these are full responsibility for Russia’s growing market and the planned manufacture of selected cars for Buick in the US and Holden in Australia and New Zealand.