国际英语新闻：GM CEO to step down on Sept. 1

BEIJING, Aug. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- General Motors Co Chief Executive Ed Whitacre said he would leave his post on Sept. 1, in an abrupt move as the company reported its second straight quarterly profit, according to media reports.

Whitacre, 68, had said repeatedly he would be an interim leader.

"We have put a strong foundation in place, so I am very comfortable with my timing," Whitacre was quoted by Reuters as saying in surprise remarks.

Whitacre was named GM's chairman last July when the automaker emerged from bankruptcy protection.

General Motors acting chief executive Ed Whitacre Jr. announces he will become permanent chairman and Chief Executive Officer during a news conference at GM World Headquarters in Detroit, Michigan January 25, 2010

The announcement was made just a day before GM was to file the paperwork for a landmark stock offering critical to paying back its controversial U.S. government bailout.

The filing of the paperwork will marks its reemergence as a publicly traded company a year after bankruptcy.

GM board member Daniel Akerson, 61, will replace Whitacre as GM's fourth CEO in 18 months when he takes over the job.