OSHAWA, Ont. -- General Motors says it has named Scott Bell as its new president and managing director for GM Canada as the current president moves on to a new role at the company.

Bell steps into the role of president from his position as vice president of sales, service and marketing for GM Canada.

The automaker says current president Travis Hester will move to the newly formed position of global vice president of customer experience.

It says the transition will begin immediately.

Hester had been in the role since April 2018, leading the division though a major cutback in operations at the company's Oshawa plant.

The plant, originally slated for effective closure this year at a loss of some 2,600 unionized jobs, will instead be converted into a parts operation that will save about 300 of those jobs.