Jaclyn McQuaid, president and managing director of General Motors Europe, is to launch the latest series of automotive industry leadership interviews hosted by the Women Automotive Network.

The network’s mission is to work collaboratively with members to inform and liaise on hot topics with the monthly sessions welcoming a well-known host from the industry, who discusses in detail key topics relevant to the automotive sector.

The team also welcomes people who have ‘unique’ stories that the network would benefit from hearing.

Next in the calendar will see host, Andy Follows, owner of boutique automotive consultancy Aquilae, explore ‘How can established companies operate like a start-up?’, with McQuaid from General Motors Europe.

Taking place on November 16 between 12pm – 2.45pm, McQuaid will discuss how she is helping to lead General Motor's entry into Europe as a nontraditional mobility start-up business, leveraging its global growth investments in the electric vehicle space, to disrupt traditional business models and transform the experience of customers.

McQuaid will delve into why an established company may want to operate more like a start-up, the positive behaviours associated with start-ups, and behaviours she recommends adopting, and the consequences associated with struggling to retain or adopt these behaviours.

Other topics set to be explored will be what typically prevents an established company from operating like start-up, how can we overcome the forces protecting the status quo in established companies, the role company culture plays in developing and reinforcing these desirable behaviours, and the role systems and structures play in operating like a start-up.

Finally, attendees will also receive an insight into how to create an environment that supports operating like a start-up and the steps that can be taken towards embedding desirable start-up behaviours in our established company.