Edward Whitacre, Jr., former chairman and CEO of AT&T Inc., has been named chairman of the General Motors. Whitacre will replace current interim chairman Kent Kresa when GM emerges from restructuring later this year.

Whitacre, four other board members, and a slew of new directors will act as the “nucleus” of the New GM, the automaker said Tuesday in a press release. The six other board members are expected to resign as soon as the company’s assets are turned over to the New General Motors.