US automaker General Motors named executive vice president Nick Reilly Tuesday as interim head of its Opel/Vauxhall brands in Europe and said it has begun to pay back emergency German loans. Reilly "will immediately assume responsibility for the operations of Opel/Vauxhall Europe while an external search for a new CEO (chief executive officer) commences," said a statement from GM's US headquarters in Detroit.
Reilly, a specialist in turning around troubled operations, "will support the European leadership team in running the business and will oversee the creation of a strategy to position Opel/Vauxhall for long-term success." Former GM Europe chief executive Forster is stepping down following the parent group's decision to hang on to Opel/Vauxhall and restructure the companies itself.