The Treasury said on Thursday that General Motors Co's move to replace its chief executive was a commercial decision made by the automaker's board of directors and did not require government approval.

Treasury spokesman Mark Paustenbach also said the replacement for exiting GM CEO Ed Whitacre, Dan Akerson, is proven and well respected with a depth of experience as a CEO in a wide range of companies. We remain focused on protecting the taxpayers' interest and exiting our investment as soon as practicable.

(Reporting by David Lawder)