NEW YORK: General Motors (GM) Chief Executive Mary Barra was named chair of the automaker on Monday, smashing yet another gender ceiling in the US auto industry. The GM board of directors unanimously elected Barra to its helm, and she will remain CEO, the largest US automaker announced. Barra, 54, will succeed Tim Solso, who will continue to serve as the board’s lead independent director. “At a time of unprecedented industry change, the board concluded it is in the best interests of the company to combine the roles of chair and CEO in order to drive the most efficient execution of our plan and vision for the future,” Solso said in a statement. “With GM consistently delivering on its targets and on track to generate significant value for its shareholders, this is the right time for Mary to assume this role.” Barra, a GM career veteran, became chief executive on January 15, 2014, the first female CEO of any major automaker.