General Motors is naming Mary Barra as its new CEO- and its first female CEO - to succeed Dan Akerson on January 15th.br br The choice was not unexpected.br br In her current role as Executive Vice President of Global Product Development, Barra is well known as a hard driving executive who has pushed the company to high standards of quality.br br The 51-year old Barra, an engineer by trade, was already the highest ranking woman in the auto industry.br br The auto industry is a family business- her dad worked for General Motors for close to 40 years.br br Mary Barra was named one of both Forbes and Fortune's Most Powerful women in business.