DETROIT -

General Motors chief executive officer Dan Akerson would not comment on the automaker's initial public offering during his first press conference with the media in his new role on Thursday, but various news reports claim that the automaker will go on a two-week "road show" the day after November's mid-term elections to stir up some interest in the offering.

The reports indicated Nov. 17 as the date of pricing for the offer, with the following day being the rollout.

Akerson refused comment on the IPO, the registration — known as an S-1 — for which GM filed about a month ago.

He said he couldn't comment, "Because, as you may know, once you have an S-1 on file, there are SEC regulations that state clearly that we cannot do it. We cannot comment on the IPO while that S-1 is on file."

The new GM boss, however, did comment on a wide variety of topics surrounding the automaker's future, including its management structure.

Akerson does not foresee it changing.

"No … I don't see it. We're a big company. Of course (in) big companies, good people come, good people see other opportunities, so I can't call that," he shared. "I like the team that's on the field."

The new CEO also noted that it may be a while before the automaker fully pays back U.S. taxpayers.

"I don't think that's going to be in one fell swoop. I think that's unrealistic," he pointed out. "So we have to post those numbers and provide some consistent results. And over the next couple of years, that will happen."

Moving on, he also talked about his goals.  

In contrasting his and Ed Whitacre's styles, he said the former GM CEO performed a "terrific job of righting the ship."

"I have to — to use the nautical term — get the ship under way now," Akerson noted. "Now we have to move it forward."

Going into more detail into what that entails, he added: "One thing I would like to bring to the organization is speed — speed in terms of how quickly we deliver products, how quickly we respond to our competitive challenges around the world.

"We need to worry about our chain of distribution. We need to reinforce and improve our relationship with our dealers, particularly in North America," Akerson continued.

"I think it's critical our storefronts represent the new GM," he noted. "So I'll try to extend my touch, if you will, to, essentially, our sales force: our storefronts."

Moving along, Akerson emphasized the automaker's need to tap into the emerging technologies of "advanced propulsion."

"We've talked about it as an industry, as a company. I think there are some very exciting developments on the horizon, both in the electric and in fuel-cell technology," he shared.

"Some of that may not happen in the next five years … but certainly we've got to work, we've got to make the investment not only in the U.S. but on a global basis," Akerson added. "So, the portfolio before us is challenging, but at the same time, very exciting and in a large measure, defines the success of the automobile industry over the next decade or so."