GM Names Watson As General Auditor DETROIT

FOR RELEASE: February 20, 2003

February 20th, 2003

GM Names Watson As General Auditor

DETROIT- General Motors today announced the appointment of Chester N. Watson as general auditor, effective March 17. Watson most recently served as vice president of Auditing and Security for Lucent Technologies. Watson will report to John M. Devine, General Motors vice chairman and chief financial officer.

In his new position, Watson, 52, will have worldwide responsibility for GM's internal audit staff, which focuses on monitoring risk, compliance and controls, and also consults with GM's business units and other corporate staffs on opportunities to improve GM's financial performance. The internal auditing group comprises 270 employees globally, and performs operational and financial audits, as well as audits in the areas of dealer activities, information technology, environmental, and special investigations. The group also provides services in the areas of business continuity planning, business risk management, crisis support center management and readiness, and information analysis and support.

Additionally, Watson will work closely with the GM Board of Director's Audit Committee, as well as GM's independent outside auditor, Deloitte & Touche. He succeeds Jacqueline Wagner, who resigned last October to take a position at American Express.

Watson has been at Lucent Technologies since 2000, with responsibility for overall policy direction and administration of the internal auditing function, safeguarding the global computer network and physical assets of the company, and designing and implementing work process improvements.

Previously, Watson was executive officer and vice president of Internal Auditing for Bell Atlantic Corporation (now Verizon) from 1992 to 2000. In this capacity, Watson directed a broad, comprehensive program of internal auditing and consulting on a global basis. From 1990 to 1992, he was partner-in-charge of the Commercial Audit Practice at one of the nation's largest minority-owned C.P.A. firms, Mitchell & Titus, LLP. From 1985 to 1990, Watson was an audit partner with BDO Seidman, where he served as the New York metropolitan region's partner-in-charge of Continuing Professional Education. He began his career with KPMG Peat Marwick in 1974.

Watson earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Rochester Institute of Technology in 1974 and is a certified public accountant in the State of New York.