Kevin Wale, G.M. China President, to Retire On Wednesday, General Motors announced that Kevin Wale, the president of its China operations, would retire on Oct. 31. He will be succeeded by Bob Socia, the automaker's vice president of global supplies and purchasing, on Oct. 1. Mr. Wale presided over a period of rapid expansion for G.M. in China, where the conglomerate increased sales to 2.5 million units in 2011 from 560,000 units in 2005.