De Nysschen Exits as Cadillac’s President

Johan de Nysschen, hired four years ago to relaunch General Motors Co.’s Cadillac brand, has abruptly left the company.

De Nysschen’s replacement is Steve Carlisle (pictured), formerly head of GM Canada. GM credits him with delivering record sales results last year and “reestablishing key relationships” with dealers, employees and government officials.

“We appreciate Johan’s efforts over the last four years in setting a stronger foundation for Cadillac,” Ammann states. But he adds, “It is paramount that we capitalize immediately on the opportunities that arise” from fast-moving changes in the market, notably the shift in consumer preferences from sedans to crossover vehicles.

De Nysschen’s departure follows that of Uwe Ellinghaus, Cadillac’s marketing chief, at the end of January. Elllinghaus, a former marketing chief at BMW, joined Cadillac in January 2014 from Montblanc International. De Nysschen arrived eight months later, shortly after quitting as president of Nissan Motor Co.’s Infiniti luxury brand.

Project Pinnacle, de Nysschen’s long-term effort to upgrade the retail experience has riled dealers without generating sales results. In the past three years, U.S. demand for Cadillac’s sedan-heavy lineup dropped 11%. Sales last year fell 8% as a 27% drop in car deliveries offset a 5% gain for SUV/crossovers.