Vehicle manufacturer General Motors (GM) has appointed Edgar Lourencon to succeed Steve Koch as MD and president of GM Africa, as of November 1.

Koch, in August, announced his intention to retire on October 1, after 40 years of service at GM South Africa and Africa.

Edgar has a background in engineering, manufacturing quality and sales at GM and has served as president and MD of GM Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, as well as president of GM Chile, Bolivia and Peru.

His career with GM began in 1977 in GM Brazil Manufacturing Engineering. He received his bachelor degree in production engineering from FEI University in 1978 and his master degree in business administration at Mackenzie University in 1981. 

Edgar would now become a member of the GM International Operations (GMIO) leadership team and would report to the president of GMIO, Nick Reilly.

Koch began his career in 1969 at the Saginaw Steering Gear Division as a General Motors Institute cooperative student, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial administration in 1974.

He was appointed to his current position in 2007. During his tenure, sales across the African continent grew to over the 200 000 unit mark for the first time in 2008.