From electric AVs to oil: Ex-GM exec Ammann signs on at Exxon Mobil

Dan Ammann, the former head of General Motors Co.'s all-electric, autonomous vehicle company Cruise LLC, has been selected as president of Exxon Mobil Corp.'s "Low Carbon Solutions" business effective May 1, the oil company said Tuesday.

Ammann was CEO of Cruise, which is majority-owned by GM, from January 2019 until late last year, when he abruptly left the company. Sources told The Detroit News at the time that Ammann and GM CEO Mary Barra had divergent visions for Cruise's future. Ammann wanted to see a more independent Cruise that could be spun off, while GM leadership wanted to keep the two companies more aligned. 

Ammann was also GM's former president, chief financial officer and treasurer. 

“We welcome Dan to ExxonMobil and will use his knowledge and experience to continue to build our Low Carbon Solutions business,” Exxon CEO and Chairman Darren Woods said in a statement. 

Ammann will replace Joe Blommaert, who is retiring after 35 years with the company. Blommaert has been president of Low Carbon Solutions since its creation in 2021.

ExxonMobil established Low Carbon Solutions "to commercialize the company’s extensive low-emission portfolio with the objective to create long-term shareholder value and support global emission-reduction efforts," according to a press release. 

"Having spent the last few years leading the incredible team at Cruise as we took self-driving cars from the realm of science fiction to an early commercial product that will fundamentally change transportation, the bar was always going to be high in terms of what next mission could have a similarly massive potential impact," Ammann said in a LinkedIn post Tuesday.

Since Ammann left Cruise,The company named Kyle Vogt, the former CEO and co-founder, as its new CEO. 

khall@detroitnews.com

Twitter:@bykaleahall