International Car Muscle

Some companies boast of seasoned veterans in the IR office. Others rely on an army of PR soldiers-for-hire. General Motors is in another camp entirely, plucking its IR director straight out of operations. 'It's a different philosophy,' remarks, Michael Bruynesteyn, GM's incoming IR director. 'We want people who really know what's going on in GM, and who have contacts within the company they can tap into. Besides, it's a great career stepping stone.' Canadian-born and British-educated Bruynesteyn