G. Mustafa Mohatarem, 1976
B.A., Denison University
Chief Economist
General Motors Corporation
Beverly Hills, Mich.
Citation awarded June, 2001
Mustafa Mohatarem, who has been the Chief Economist of General Motors Corporation since March 1995, is one of the nation’s most prominent industrial economists, a profession in which he got his start at Denison University. A native of Karachi, Pakistan, he completed the B.A. in both economics and mathematics in 1976. He then earned an M.B.A. and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, where he was an Earhart Fellow.
At GM, Mustafa serves on the Coordination Committee of the corporation’s Public Policy Center and the Corporate Risk Management Committee. He advises GM’s senior executives on global economic developments and their implications for GM’s business. In addition, he leads the corporation’s Trade Team and coordinates the corporation’s response to policy developments in the trade arena. In that capacity, he represents the corporation in numerous international forums, including the U.S.-Japan Business Council, APEC Auto Dialogue, and the Council of the Americas. He is also an advisor to the U.S. Department of Commerce and to the United States Trade Representative.
In recent years, Mustafa has served as GM’s spokesperson on economic and trade developments. He testifies on behalf of the corporation before Congressional committees and is a sought-after speaker in economic and trade forums. He is quoted frequently in the business and popular press. Mustafa has also contributed to two books: Constituent Interests and U.S. Trade Policies and Building a Partnership (The Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement).
Mustafa and his wife, Deborah Simons Mohatarem ’76, make their home in Beverly Hills, Michigan. Mustafa serves on the Mayor of Detroit’s Tax Advisory Committee. Besides trying to persuade the songs and daughters of his colleagues to attend Denison, Mustafa has enjoyed assisting a number of Denison students in researching auto industry-related subjects. Deborah is the Chairman of the Michigan chapter of the Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, and frequently persuades Mustafa to assist in her volunteer activities. She has also been active in the Women for Denison program.
