Delphi Exec to Head GM Powertrain Operations

General Motors Co. has hired Steve Kiefer, formerly president of Delphi Automotive plc's Powertrain Systems unit, to head the company's worldwide powertrain operations.

Kiefer's assignment begins on Sept. 1. The position he will fill has been vacant since early 2011.

The 50-year-old will be based at GM Powertrain headquarters in Pontiac, Mich. He will report to Mary Barra, GM's global product development chief. Jim Lanzon, vice president for powertrain global transmission, will continue in that role and report to Kiefer.

A Michigan native, Kiefer holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan State University and an MBA from the University of Michigan.