Ann Noel Blakney is a distinguished automotive industry executive with more than 30 years of visionary leadership, known for her pioneering contributions to dealership network alignment, franchise development, and automotive e-commerce innovation. Her work has influenced the strategic direction of major OEMs, dealership groups, and technology transformation initiatives across North America and Europe.
Throughout her career, Ms. Blakney has demonstrated an exceptional ability to drive performance and growth across diverse sectors of the automotive industry. As President of Noel Blakney Consulting since 2009, she has provided expert advisory services to major dealer groups and OEMs, focusing on franchise acquisition, dealership alignment, real estate investment, and sales optimization. Her nuanced understanding of the automotive marketplace, coupled with her tactical guidance, has helped transform underperforming assets into high-return investments while aligning dealer networks with strategic growth targets.
Ann’s remarkable career includes a distinguished tenure at General Motors Corporation, where she held multiple high-impact leadership roles. As Regional Director of Dealer Network Planning, she managed over 1,000 dealerships across 16 states, spearheading initiatives to consolidate and strengthen GM’s dealer footprint. She was instrumental in designing and executing exit strategies for underperforming dealerships and identifying high-performing operators to boost regional performance and customer satisfaction. As Regional Director of Motors Holding, Ms. Blakney served on the board of 38 GM-affiliated dealership companies and played a vital role in managing equity investments and corporate oversight.
Arguably one of her most influential contributions came as the National Director and founding architect of GM BuyPower, the first-ever comprehensive automotive e-commerce platform. Under her direction, BuyPower enabled customers to configure vehicles online, compare models, apply for financing, and receive dealership pricing—revolutionizing the automotive retail experience. Her efforts earned her prestigious recognition, including the Computerworld Smithsonian Laureate Award, GM North American Innovation Award, and Advertising Age’s Interactive Marketer of the Year.
A seasoned public speaker and media representative, Ms. Blakney has served as GM’s lead spokesperson in engagements with CNN, Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times, among others. Her communication strength and public presence have further elevated the automotive brand narrative during periods of significant transformation.
Ann holds an MBA from Stanford, a Master’s in Psychology (4.0 GPA), and a Cum Laude BA. She is seeking board roles where her strategic insight and leadership can drive growth, transformation, and innovation across operations, branding, and governance.
Character: Ann is a values-driven leader who combines integrity, resilience, and a collaborative spirit to inspire trust and drive impactful results.
Knowledge: With over 30 years of experience, she possesses deep expertise in automotive operations, franchise strategy, and digital innovation.
Strategic: Ann has a proven track record of transforming dealership networks and launching industry-first platforms like GM BuyPower to achieve long-term growth and ROI.
Communication: A seasoned spokesperson, she effectively conveys complex ideas to diverse audiences, representing top automotive brands in national media and public forums.
