US auto major General Motors on Wednesday announced senior level changes in its Indian operations, creating a new position of Chief Operating Officer that will be filled by the company’s Uzbekistan chief Kaher Kazem.

Hardeep Singh Brar has been also appointed to the new position of Vice-President of Sales for GM India effective from July 1, while Jack Uppal has been appointed as Vice-President of Marketing and Customer Experience from August 1, General Motors India said in a statement.

Commenting on the development, General Motors India President and Managing Director Arvind Saxena said: “The new appointments further strengthen our commitment to the Indian market to offer class leading vehicles along with a truly satisfying ownership experience for our esteemed customers.”

Kazem, Brar and Uppal will report to Saxena. While Kazem will be based at the Talegaon manufacturing facility, the other two will be based at the company’s Gurgaon headquarters.

In his new role, Kazem will manage the industrial side of GM India’s business. He joined GM Holden in Australia in 1995 as a senior engineer. He later held several leadership positions at GM Holden Manufacturing Operations. In 2009, Kazem was appointed Vice- President of Manufacturing and Quality for GM Thailand/ ASEAN. He has been overseeing the growth of GM Uzbekistan’s operations since 2012.

Brar has been with Volkswagen Group Sales India since 2012 as the head of Network and Dealer Development. He earlier worked at Maruti Suzuki India since 1995, where he held various posts, including General Manager of Institutional and Rural Sales.

In his current position since 2013, Jack Uppal has been assisting GM Executive Vice-President and President of GMI Stefan Jacoby. Since joining GM of Canada in 2001, he has also held important positions in sales, marketing, customer care, after sales and network development in Canada and the Middle East.

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