How General Motors VP of Urban Mobility Sigal Cordeiro Found Success in Marketing

The stereotypically male reputation of the automotive industry contradicts with General Motors’ team full of strong female leadership. One of their women in charge is 47-year-old Sigal Cordeiro, General Motors’ vice president of urban mobility and Maven car sharing. Hers Magazine sat down with Cordeiro to talk about her career in marketing after she was recently included on Create + Cultivate’s 100 in partnership with Chevrolet women in business list.

Q: The automotive industry is, you know, a male dominated industry and it’s really important that you’ve become a powerful woman in that space. How did you first get started in the automotive industry?

A: You know, when I started my career I only had a marketing background, so that is where I started my career. And I knew that I wanted to work with products that really made a difference in people’s lives and that people had an emotional connection with them. And cars really do that, right? Cars are a big important purchase to people in that, really, people end up owning that product for a long time, creating that emotional connection. And so, for me, that was really interesting as a marketer to go into an industry where there was that connection. So that’s how I got started in the automotive industry. And to be honest, I didn’t really think about the fact that it was male dominated at the time, it was just something I was passionate about and there was an opportunity to join. Something important to me is to make women feel like they belong, even if the industry they are in is traditionally viewed as male dominated.

Q: So, what did your career in marketing look like up to getting this position? Where did you start out?

A: I’ve been with General Motors for about 20 years. And I started in marketing in our Chevrolet brand. And from there, I moved into different areas of the company. I worked in market research, to product development where I had the opportunity to work in different parts of the world. All of this has led me to where I am today, Vice President of Urban Mobility and Maven.

Q: Tell me a bit about Maven.

A: Maven is the car sharing business within General Motors. The mission for us is to really think about how we can redefine car ownership by bringing vehicles to people who are looking for on demand transportation. We see that, while out lots and lots of people are still buying cars and a car continues to be a big accomplishment for people, there are other people that for different reasons are not looking to buy a car but still need that mobility and the transportation. So, our role is to really bring that mobility, the different mobility options to people.

Q: And General Motors has a female CEO and CFO correct?

A: Correct.

Q: What are some of the benefits that you see of working in a space alongside other powerful women?

A: I think the biggest thing is that it becomes a very inspiring work environment, and it sets the tone for diversity and inclusion. I believe diversity and inclusion goes beyond gender. Diversity is also about bringing diversity of thought into the organization. Having this at the senior leadership level is very inspiring.

Q: In your career as a marketer from when you started studying to up to now, have you faced any hard times moving up in the marketing world as a woman? Has there ever been a point where somebody didn’t take you seriously or show you the right amount of respect?

A:I’m grateful to have been blessed with so many opportunities and having so many strong advocates that are both male and female.I think a big part of this happens when you bring your whole self to work, knowing that your background and experiences are what makes you you and allows you to have a unique voice that contributes to the organization. Prevail over any stereotypes that people have, because that will get reflected in your work. I have not allowed these typical hurdles hinder the growth in my career.

Q: Who are some of your professional role models?

A:Without a doubt, our CEO Mary Barra. It is phenomenal what she has been able to accomplish in her career, in a traditionally male dominated industry. It is really inspiring for women to believe in themselves and aim for the top. There’s also Steve Jobs, who was able to set the tone of how customer-centric a company should be and delivering on amazing products that amaze and delight the customer.

Q: So now moving into the Create + Cultivate event that you were involved in recently. Tell me a little bit more about Create + Cultivate and how you got involved with it?

A:I have had a relationship with Create + Cultivate. This was the third year we have partnered with them. Chevrolet and General Motors are really committed to advancing and supporting women in the workplace, which is really aligned with the core mission of Create + Cultivate to provide women with a platform and network they can use to pursue their career.

Q: You received an award at their event in Los Angeles this year, correct?

A: Yes, I was included in the Create + Cultivate 100 list, which was really, truly an honor. I mean, when you read about what these 100 or 99 other women are doing it is extremely impressive right there. They’re innovating, they’re pushing boundaries and with that, again, setting an example for women today in the future generation.

Q: What kind of message do you think that having a list recognizing these important women and highlighting their accomplishments sends to young girls that look up to you guys?

A: I really think that it says that…if you believe in yourself, anything is possible. When you read about these women, and they are all doing different things, they’re changing the world in their own way. There is no single path to success. Anything that you have your heart set on, if you believe in yourself, I really think that you can succeed.

Q: Great. So, you’re from Brazil, right? When did you move to the States?

A: Yeah. I grew up in Brazil and I came to the United States in ’98 to get my MBA degree. And then from there, I was hired at General Motors.

Q: Tell me about your life growing up. Were you from a smaller town or a bigger city? What was it like?

A: I grew up in San Paolo, which is a very large city in Brazil. And, you know, had just a great and interesting childhood growing up just because of how dynamic life is in a country like Brazil and in a city like San Paolo. I went to college in Brazil. I studied business administration. During college and right afterwards I worked for a Brazilian airline company that used to be called TAM. T.A.M. They have now partnered with another South American airline company, but you can see a bit of the pattern around transportation in my background.

Q: Right. Things kind of came full circle.

A: Yeah, yes, I would say so. What was great about that experience, too, is that when you are talking about marketing and airlines, it was all about service marketing and marketing services versus marketing products. And so that gave me a really strong foundation for being customer centric, and delivering to the highest level for the customer, which was something that I was able to bring into GM from my career with TAM.