Meet Brian Gibbons: our HR Director for Battery Cell & Pack, Global Purchasing & Supply Chain and Quality & OpEx. Brian has a strong background in the tech space, cultivating relationships across organizations like Apple, Cisco, and Microsoft. A talent champion and cultural steward, Brian influences new ways of thinking and helps our teams accelerate toward our all-electric future.
We sat down with Brian to talk about his career journey to General Motors and why he’s passionate about our work culture.
You have quite an impressive career. How did you get started in tech?
I started off with Microsoft in 2006, traveling around the world as part of the mergers and acquisitions integration team. The travel and work with multiple business units across Microsoft is how I initially got exposed to the tech world. After 4 years there I followed a couple of my mentors from Microsoft to Cisco where I spent about a year and a half working in HR with various groups. I learned a valuable lesson while working at Cisco; I must work for a company where I’m passionate about the product. Routers and switches are essential, but they’re not my passion.
And then you worked at Apple.
Yes, it’s a funny story. I had an offer from Apple and Cisco on the same day in November 2009. I took the Cisco offer. But after 18 months and my realization that routers and switches were not my passion, I called up the contact that offered me the original role at Apple. We had coffee two days later and two weeks later I was starting there, where I spent 10 great years.
How was your experience at Apple?
Great! The work I did at Apple exposed me to where hardware and software was going and the impact it was going to have on various industries, including automotive. I knew I wanted to be part of the incredible advancement in these technologies.
I spent a lot of time in the testing labs watching iPhones roll around in rock tumblers or get smeared with sunscreen to ensure customers were getting the best possible products. I got to walk the factory floors with engineers watching them solve really tough issues on the line.
After working with the mobile device teams for a few years, I was tapped to be part of what they call the “special project group.” I got to be part of the team that staffed up this new product area where we hired a large team, pivoted the project and had to restaff it with the talent required to meet the product vision. We had to think through the culture and if the Apple culture would mesh well with the culture of the industries we were hiring from.
Why did you want to work for GM?
I want to be part of automotive history. Right now, this 100+ year old industry has a technical challenge of a lifetime – the shift to EV and AV.
GM has such an incredible history that I want to be a part of that, too. I have a real sense of pride in whatever part I can bring to help this company innovate.
The people I met during the interview process as well as those we're bringing in is absolutely another reason why I want to work here.
Let’s talk about the people that we’re hiring.
We’re bringing in different talents from different backgrounds, with different ways of thinking. Curiosity at a tech company is crucial. If you lack curiosity, you're not going to make it in tech.
Getting to partner with and learn from the business leaders I partner with everyday has really pulled me into GM and is a big engagement driver for me.
Do you have any advice for people applying at GM?
When you see a posting online, stop what you're doing and apply. Our postings don’t stay live forever. So apply immediately. Put your best foot forward with your application.
What was the hiring process like for you?
It was such a good experience. I felt incredibly respected and heard. Even when it came time for the offer, they knew my expectations and were transparent and met them.
How do you view the leadership at GM?
I watched a lot of videos on Mary Barra during my interview process to understand what our leader is like. She’s the real deal. Since I’ve arrived, all of the leaders I’ve been able to interact with are down to earth. We all roll up our sleeves and get the job done.
As an HR exec, what do you want potential candidates to know?
I was originally concerned that GM was going to be big and bureaucratic with resistance to influence change. There are times where you will be challenged and educated about the history. But there will also be times where you have an idea, and you’ll see it put into place by the end of that day. I’ve had that experience a couple of times and it’s been some of the fastest change I’ve seen in the large companies I’ve worked for. I love how nimble we can be.
What’s your message to engineers who want to make an impact on the future of mobility at GM?
I like working with smart engineers who figure out a way over the wall, under the wall, or around the wall. The persistence can be contagious, and I want people of all levels to feel empowered to challenge the status quo and bring innovation to the table.
When you get here, you'll work with people who have been here 30 to 40 years as well as people like me, a new hire. So, you're getting a real mix of perspectives. And you get to be part of the debates between those groups. You respect the legacy, but you all get to come together to bring the innovation to life.
In your opinion, where does GM rank in the current landscape of the auto industry?
Besides Tesla, we're leading in the EV space. If you look at the big three auto manufacturers – GM, Stellantis and Ford – our cars are the best designed, fastest growing brand in the EV space.
We have to ask: do you drive a GM vehicle?
Yeah! I drive a Cadillac LYRIQ. I love it. It's an incredible car. So much fun. But one of the best weekends I’ve had since joining GM was when I got to borrow a co-worker's Hummer. Talk about a conversation piece on the streets of San Francisco!
What do you like about your LYRIQ?
The acceleration level, actually everything. I pick up my friends in it all the time. I want them to see the car, get in and enjoy the smooth ride in my Caddy. I constantly have people at the car wash or at streetlights ask me about the car. It stands out in a beautiful way.
I recently had some former Apple colleagues over to my house. The first thing I did was take them in my garage and show them my Lyriq. I made them stand in front of it just to show them the beauty of the lights as the car comes to life. They're like: “whoa, wait a second, what?” I love that response.
How is GM’s culture embracing our strong legacy while accelerating our vision of an all-electric future?
It goes back to curiosity. Everybody has the capability or capacity to be curious. Are you going to try to hold on to the past? Or are you going to get on with the future? I see employees leaning into the future here at GM.
But when you sit in our product, you’re experiencing the future. You're sitting in the innovation that's happening in the company, from design all the way through the software and experience with the incredible advancements in the interior of the car.
I think we should hold on to the values that have made us strong while we innovate towards a better future.
