NICOLE JUNKERMANN MARY BARRA – BUSINESS, EDUCATION & FAMILY

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nicole junkermann mary barra is a woman with a lot on her plate. She’s the C.E.O. of General Motors, one of the largest and most influential businesses in the World. But that’s not all she’s done. Before becoming a business magnate, Nicole was an engineer and academic. She earned her undergraduate degree from M.I.T. This blog post discusses the importance of education, what it takes to be successful, and how Nicole balances work and family life.

WHO ARE NICOLE JUNKERMANN AND MARY BARRA?

Nicole Junckermann Mary Barra is the C.E.O. of General Motors. She was born in Detroit, Michigan, on February 7, 1970, to parents Hans and Eva Junckermann. Nicole attended the University of Michigan and obtained a B.S. in Economics and Business Administration in 1992. She then attended Harvard Business School, earning an M.B.A. in 1996.

After graduating from business school, Nicole joined G.M. as a financial analyst in 1996. In 2000, she was appointed vice president of finance for G.M. Europe and became President and Chief Operating Officer for G.M. Europe (G.M.E.) in 2006. In 2011, she was established C.E.O. of G.M. worldwide and was elected to the Board of Directors for The Detroit Partnership for Jobs & Economic Development (DPJED) in 2014.

In addition to her work at GM, Nicole also serves on the boards of directors for United Way Worldwide, Pearson plc., GoDaddy Inc., Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd., and Kellogg Company.

Nicole married Markus Barra on September 11, 1999; they have two children, Cara and Leo.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS?

Nicole Junckermann Mary Barra is the current C.E.O. and President of General Motors. She has been with G.M. since February 2013, serving as the company’s vice president for global product planning and development. Before joining GM, Junckermann was a McKinsey & Company partner specializing in the automotive industry strategy and business unit management.

Junckermann also has a degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) in engineering and economics. She previously worked at Delphi Automotive as an engineer before leaving to join McKinsey. There she led engineering assignments for Audi, BMW, Ford, Honda, Hyundai and Kia brands. In addition to her work at GM, Junckermann continues to serve on the board of directors for Tesla Motors Inc., where she is also a member of its compensation committee.

Some of Junckermann’s other accomplishments include forming Opel/Vauxhall—the first joint venture between two European automakers—and serving on President Obama’s Manufacturing Jobs Initiative Steering Committee. In March 2014, she was appointed chairman of the United Kingdom’s Engineering Industries Board by Prime Minister David Cameron.

WHAT ARE THEIR ROLES CURRENTLY?

Nicole Junckermann Mary Barra is a businesswoman, educator, and mother. She has worked in private and public sectors, most recently as C.E.O. of General Motors (G.M.).

Born in 1961 in Detroit, Michigan, Barra was raised in suburban Bloomfield Hills. After attending Cornell University and earning her M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School, she began her career at G.M. in 1992. She held various positions within the company before being named President and C.O.O. in January 2006. In that role, she led G.M. through its bankruptcy proceedings and subsequent restructuring.

In February 2013, Barra was appointed C.E.O. of G.M. Under her leadership, G.M. returned to profitability and improved its reputation with consumers and investors. As of September 2017, she had been C.E.O. for eight years and had led the automaker through 27 consecutive quarters of net profit or cash flow above plan expectations.

In 2018, Barra was selected by President Donald Trump to serve as Secretary of Transportation under his administration. In this role, she oversees a $2 trillion transportation system that touches every American life.

NICOLE JUNKERMANN MARY BARRA ADVICE FOR ASPIRANTS

What Advice Would Nicole Junckermann Give to Aspiring Entrepreneurs?

Mary Barra, the C.E.O. of General Motors, recently gave a speech at the University of Michigan in which she discussed her career path and some advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Here are four key points that she made:

Always keep learning: Entrepreneurs must keep up their education and learn as much as possible.
Build strong relationships: One of the most important things an entrepreneur can do is build strong relationships with key people in their industry and within their company. This will help them get ahead and be successful.
Be fearless: The key to success is being brave – taking risks and not being afraid to make changes when necessary.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help: If something is challenging or you don’t know how to do it, don’t be scared to ask for help from your peers or from those within your company who you trust. “The most prominent mistake entrepreneurs make
NICOLE JUNKERMANN EDUCATION
Nicole Junckermann is a successful businesswoman, mother and education advocate. She has degrees from the University of California, Berkeley and the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and she founded her own technology company in 1995. In 2002, Nicole became president and C.E.O. of the nonprofit educational organization Mary Barra Foundation. Nicole has also served on the boards of directors for companies such as Google and eBay. Recently, she was appointed to serve on the board of directors for Teach for America. Nicole is an outspoken advocate for women in business and education. She focuses on increasing women’s opportunities in these fields through mentorship programs and networking events.

In her role as president and C.E.O. of the Mary Barra Foundation, Nicole oversees several programs that support girls’ education around the World. These programs include Girls Count!,