Holden design icon Mike Simcoe to retire from GM design boss role

01/08/2025 05:00 PM

Michael Simcoe – the man integral to a raft of Holdens including the re-born Monaro and the final generation VE-VF Commodore – will retire from his position as General Motors chief designer after 42 years at the company.

Simcoe is the first non-American to have held the coveted position – responsible for the overall design of General Motors (GM) global vehicles across 10 design centres, having been promoted to the role in 2016.

His success puts him in an elite group of Australians to excel on the global automotive stage, including former Ford boss Jac Nasser and designer Todd Willing, who became Ford's global design boss in 2024.

Bryan Nesbitt, currently executive director, Global Cadillac Design, will take over from Simcoe from 1 July 2025.

"It has been humbling to be a part of shaping the future of transportation and evolving automotive design, while ensuring that the intersection of art and technology is core to GM Design and our business," Simcoe said in a statement.

"GM has some of the most gifted designers and artisans in the world. My job has been to create the environment and give them the tools to flourish and bring our vision to life.

"Under Bryan's leadership, I know GM Design will continue to drive the company forward. He shares my belief in our team's creative talent and their potential, and I'm excited to see how the next generation of GM Design influences the automotive landscape." 

After studying at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Simcoe's career began at Holden – which was owned by GM – in 1983, when the VH Commodore family sedan and wagon and TG Gemini small car were being manufactured locally.

The Melburnian worked at the Fishermans Bend design office, which was the first automotive design studio of any car maker in Australia when it opened in 1964.

By 1992 Simcoe had risen to become senior designer – as the VP Commodore was topping the Australian sales charts – and became GM Asia-Pacific head of design in 1995.

The most iconic of Simcoe's designs – the V2 Holden Monaro – made headlines when it was wheeled out at the 1998 Sydney motor show as the Coupe Concept, having been an unofficial back-room passion project of Holden employees.

Based on the VT Commodore platform, the Monaro went into production in 2001, as the brand entered a golden era of design, with other bold show concepts – and an array of various models based on the Commodore underpinnings. 

Simcoe led GM Korea Design Operations in 2003 before moving to GM's Detroit offices the next year – heading the North American design department – after overseeing the design of the $1 billion VE Commodore project, which hit showrooms in late 2006.

He returned to Australia in 2011 as GM Executive Director of design before taking the top job in 2016, replacing Ed Welburn who'd hired the Australian for his first US role in 2004.

In 2022, Simcoe was again promoted to senior vice-president of Global Design, out-ranked only by CEO Mary Barra and company president, American former head of Holden, Mark Reuss.

Vehicles in current showrooms under Simcoe's watch also include the Cadillac Lyriq – the spearhead of the Cadillac brand's return to Australia – as well as the GMC Hummer SUV and Chevrolet Equinox SUV, neither of which are sold here.

The Australian was also instrumental in the establishment of GM's flagship Design West studio at the GM's Global Technical Centre campus in Warren, Michigan.

Simcoe was only the seventh person to lead GM design since the original ‘Art and Colour Section’ was inaugurated by legendary designer Harley Earl in 1927.

Bill Mitchell succeeded Earl in 1958, commissioning the Holden design office where Simcoe's career began 25 years later.

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