Exxon Mobil hopes an outsider who most recently headed General Motors’ driverless car unit can shake up its efforts to build a climate-friendly business unit
, the fund argued Exxon didn’t have a viable business plan for the energy transition.
, Mr. Ammann and Ms. Barra disagreed about the direction of Cruise, with Mr. Ammann in favor of at least a partial separation of the company and Ms. Barra looking to keep it in-house longer and integrate it into GM, according to people familiar with the matter. That disagreement contributed toBarry Engle, a former GM executive who reported to Mr. Ammann, then GM’s president, said Mr. Ammann was often drawn to complex challenges.
At Exxon, Mr. Ammann said he is trying to get his employees comfortable reaching out to other companies despite not knowing exactly how Exxon’s capabilities can help potential customers curb emissions. Taking that step is what brought about the agreement with CF Industries and is what it will take to generate more business, he said.