Ms barra biography

Her entry into the bil industry came early, as part of a co-operative programme at General Motors Institute, now Kettering University, where she worked at a Pontiac plant.

Walking the streets of Flint, Michigan - the home of Kettering - it's easy to see why Ms Barra was drawn to the fordon industry.

With streets like Chevrolet Avenue, it's hard to think of anything else but cars.

Prof Mohammed Torfeh taught Ms Barra's control system class in 1984, helping her learn how to design various aspects of cars, such as how to make windscreen wipers work.

"I remember vividly even how she was holding her notepad - she was always holding it in her left hand," says Prof Torfeh.

He says she was always the leader, taking charge of mostly-male groups, balancing her strong technical knowledge with her easy-going communication skills.

"You could see that she was a leader, even at that time - she was a superstar."

Cars have always been more than a mode of transport for Mary Barra. Growing up in Detroit, where her dad worked as a die maker at General Motors, Barra recalls the thrill of seeing a brand-new automobile, fresh from the factory. “Every now and again, he would get to bring home a vehicle, and I distinctly remember the whole neighborhood would come over to check it out,” she says. “From a very early age, it sparked an interest in GM and engineering. My father and I have over 80 years with the company, so my love of vehicles and GM runs deep.”

Barra is chair and CEO of GM and has led the company for more than a decade, during which time the auto industry has seen transformational changes. Under Barra’s leadership, GM has charted an aggressive growth strategy, including investments in electric vehicle manufacturing, while beating analyst expectations in 35 of the last 36 quarters

Before becoming CEO, Barra served as GM’s executive vice president for global product develo

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