General Motors announced the appointment of a new Executive Vice President of SAIC-GM, the automaker’s flagship joint venture in China.
GM has named Cesar Toledo as the new Vice President for Shanghai-based SAIC-GM, responsible for managing the development, manufacturing and marketing of the company’s global vehicle brands in China. The new executive will assume the role on June 5threplaces Kaher Kazem, who is retiring after a distinguished international career at GM.
“Cesar brings extensive commercial leadership experience, a strong sales and marketing record in overseas markets and China,” said GM Senior Vice President and President of GM China, John Roth. “He will continue to collaborate closely with our partners in growing our global brand in this highly competitive market,” he added.
Cesar Toledo will take over the executive reins of SAIC-GM right in the midst of a transformation of the company’s commercial and sales strategy in the Chinese market, where the company faces aggressive competition from local manufacturers and challenges in repositioning its brands in that context. Even so, the company reported positive equity earnings for five consecutive quarters, as well as sales and market share growth in 2025.
In fact, Toledo’s previous position was Vice President of Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing at SAIC-GM, and in his new leadership role, he will continue to serve as a member of the joint venture’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors. Before arriving in China, he held various leadership positions in several international GM subsidiaries, including South America, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico and the Middle East.
Outgoing SAIC-GM Executive Vice President Kaher Kazem has decided to retire from the company on August 1st2026, after a 31 year career at GM. “We would like to thank Kaher for his dedication and contributions to GM and our joint venture in China. His track record of business turnaround, steady leadership and global collaboration has had a long-lasting impact on our business and operations around the world,” concluded Roth.
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