Gary West and Luis De La Cruz to take on new positions
Mobility technology veteran Gary West has joined the self-driving technology company Cruise as Managing Director of Cruise Middle East, effective September 2023. West will lead the company’s commercialization efforts in the region surrounding the strategic partnership with Dubai’s Roads and Transit Authority (RTA).
In 2021, RTA selected Cruise as their exclusive provider for self-driving ride-hail services, making Dubai the first international city Cruise will expand to. Cruise autonomous vehicles are currently conducting data collection and initial testing in Jumeirah 1 on Dubai’s traffic systems, signals, signage, and driving behavior, according to a press communique.
Prior to joining Cruise, West played an instrumental role in setting up GM’s connectivity offering in the region and laid the cornerstone for GM’s autonomous and electric technology in the Middle East.
President and Managing Director of General Motors Africa Middle East Operations, Jack Uppal, announced that Luis De La Cruz would succeed Gary as Managing Director, OnStar, and Digital Business.
De La Cruz will be responsible for leading the growth of GM’s Digital Business in Africa and the Middle East, as well as supporting GM International Connected Operations.
De La Cruz and his team will spearhead the expansion of the OnStar business across the region. They will also debut consumer technologies such as Super Cruise and other consumer solutions enabled by the Software Defined Vehicle, the press note concluded.
