Specialist
Former Executive Director, Global Purchasing & Supply Chain at General Motors Co
Agenda
- Global auto sales estimates, focusing on Ford (NYSE: F), General Motors (NYSE: GM), Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (TAA: FCA), Volkswagen (ETR: VOW3), and Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA)
- Declines in China’s auto production and sales levels
- Sales and supply chain headwinds for US OEMs
- Manufacturing delay for Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory and General Motors' joint ventures in China
- Global sector outlook
Questions
1.
Could you identify any key trends and themes affecting the global auto industry?
2.
How would you characterise the novel coronavirus outbreak’s impact on the global auto industry?
3.
You mentioned supply chain and procurement teams are likely assessing the worst-case scenarios and searching for alternative suppliers. How difficult would it be for GM [General Motors] or its peers to find an alternative supplier?
4.
How significant is GM’s supply chain presence in China?
5.
How exposed would you say the tier 1 OEMs are to a slowdown in business due to the coronavirus impact?
6.
Do you think the macro trends you identified – electrification and autonomy – may be affected? Could the development of either or both of these technologies slow down?
7.
How do you think sourcing decisions will be affected?
8.
How risky would a macro slowdown in the Chinese market be for GM?
9.
During your tenure at GM, did the company experience any situation comparable to the impact from the coronavirus?
10.
How confident are you that GM is prepared for uncertain situations like the coronavirus?
11.
What is your opinion on the Volkswagen Group’s recent Q1 earnings warning? How exposed are its sales and supply chain compared to GM’s?
12.
BMW recently shut down one of its European plants due to some factory employees contracting the COVID-19 coronavirus. What is your take on this, and how much of a risk would you say this is for all major OEMs?
13.
If there were to be a hypothetical production backlog due to plant shutdowns or other halts, how concerned would you be for GM’s performance?
14.
You mentioned CEO Mary Barra’s strategy to return GM to profitability in core markets. Do you think the coronavirus impact might inhibit GM achieving that goal?
15.
How important is the Chinese market for GM’s one-, two-, three-, four- and five-year plans?
16.
Would you agree with the suggestion that the coronavirus impact will hurt domestic Chinese OEMs’ sales more than international OEMs?
17.
Do you have any other commentary on major OEMs’ management teams and their approach to this situation?
18.
Would you expect GM or another OEM to exercise an abundance of caution and quickly shut down a plant in North America if there were a risk of infecting employees?
19.
What factors or developments would you monitor in GM’s supply chain to gauge the potential disruption?
20.
What would you want to ask Mary Barra and the rest of GM’s management team about how the company is combatting the coronavirus impact?
21.
Do you believe the coronavirus impact could slow down EV sales in China, given the quarantines in place?
22.
How do you think GM’s sales and competitive positioning would fare in a more prolonged economic downturn, due to the coronavirus or other factors?
23.
Do you have any closing comments or key takeaways?
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