General Motors appoints its first chief digital officer: Edward Kummer

General Motors announced this week that it has appointed Edward Kummer as its first Chief Digital Officer, leading a newly formed Digital Business team.

Kummer was president of Nordstrom Rack’s online business as well as Nordstrom’s HauteLook brand and brings experience in omni-channel strategy, marketing and digital transformation. He has also held posts at Oakley, Walt Disney Co, Goldman Sachs and Victoria’s Secret.

GM says Kummer will be responsible for building and delivering the company’s digital business, working to accelerate software investments, improve customer experience and redefine expectations.

Kummer is set to start at GM on October 16, reporting to GM president Mark Reuss.
According to Reuss, “We are creating new digital experiences for our customers, both inside and outside of the vehicle, to enhance their lives and keep them connected to an increasingly digital world.”

“As our business model evolves to reflect the vital role that software plays in our products and services, and the new opportunities it enables, Edward’s proven track record of digital and e-commerce expertise and leadership make him a huge asset for us. He’s done great work for companies known for superior customer experience, and we’re delighted to have him on our team.”

Kummer names GM’s “zero-crashes, zero-emissions and zero-congestion vision” as aligned to his own values in developing sustainable transportation.

“I am excited to leverage my digital expertise to create transformative experiences that will generate a lasting connection with the customer and foster a lifelong affinity to GM’s brands and products,” said Kummer.

“As a car enthusiast, I have been admiring the caliber of GM’s vehicles. GM’s innovative platform and the immense growth opportunities are particularly inspiring to me.”

Eric Chaniot, General Manager Cross Industry Solutions at Microsoft, responsible for digital transformation of customer experience at the tech giant commented on Kummer’s appointment in a Linkedin post on Thursday, suggesting that the chief digital officer role is set to expand.

“6 years ago, when I became the global #chiefdigitalofficer of #michelin I read lots of reports and I got lots of opinions that this C-level position will be "short lived". Well GM just announced their first-ever chief digital officer,” said Chaniot.

“Digital is a disruption for traditional companies, and as such the key role of the CDO is to make the connection between 2 very different worlds and lead this disruption in the context of their company.

“They should be seen more as Chief Transformation Officer.”