DETROIT - No official announcement has been made on Jim Campbell's successor to head up GM Fleet and Commercial Operations in the U.S.; however, industry sources indicate Alan Batey, 46, current chairman and managing director of Holden and 30-year General Motors employee, is a top candidate for the position. Holden is GM's Australian-headquartered business unit.

General Motors did not confirm or deny the possibility of Batey being named general manager of GM Fleet and Commercial Operations.

Campbell, former general manager of GM Fleet and Commercial Operations since Feb. 1, was promoted to general manager - Chevrolet on Dec. 9.

Batey (shown right) has served in his current role as Holden chairman and managing director for approximately three months, since succeeding Mark Reuss, 45, Sept. 1. Reuss was appointed president of GM North America Dec. 4. 

Prior to this, Batey served as executive director - sales, marketing and aftersales at Holden Ltd since January 2006. He is also a member of the Holden Board of Directors. He previously was vice president of commercial operations (Sales, Marketing and Aftersales) for GM Daewoo, a position he assumed in 2002 when the new business was formed.

Batey began his career with General Motors in 1979 when he joined Vauxhall Motors in the United Kingdom as a mechanical engineer apprentice. After various sales and marketing assignments with Vauxhall, he transferred to GM's European headquarters in Zurich in 1993 and held the position of European fleet development director.

In 1996, Batey moved to GM's Middle East operations in Dubai and became regional director. In 1998, he returned to Europe and was appointed managing director Opel Netherlands.

In 2000, he transitioned to Opel Germany as European executive director for commercial vehicles and fleet sales before moving to Seoul in January 2001 to join GM's transition team in the Daewoo acquisition.