(December 21, 2009) DETROIT —  General Motors has appointed Chris Liddell, Microsoft Corp.'s finance chief, as vice chairman and CFO, replacing Ray Young.

Liddell, 51, has served as Microsoft's CFO since May 2005. He had previously announced he was leaving the software company on Dec. 31.

The move is GM's first permanent top management hire from outside the company since it left bankruptcy protection in July. Ed Whitacre Jr., a former CEO of AT&T Inc., is the company's interim CEO after the board forced out Fritz Henderson earlier this month. A search is under way for a new CEO.

The senior executive team is shifting at a time when the automaker has been struggling to close deals to sell key assets and regain sales momentum in the U.S. market.

GM has been operating since July with a new board vetted by the Obama administration.

GM had been searching for a replacement for Young since at least September. Young became CFO in March 2008, taking over for Henderson, whose Dec. 1 ouster elevated Whitacre to the interim CEO post.

Before joining Microsoft, Liddell was CFO at International Paper Co. He has also served as CEO of Carter Holt Harvey Ltd., a New Zealand wood and paper products company.

"Chris brings a depth and experience to this job that were unmatched in our search for a new financial leader," said Whitacre, who is also GM's chairman, in a statement. "We're also looking to his experience and insights in corporate strategy as a member of the senior leadership team in helping our restructuring efforts."