Even as General Motors has rebounded from its bankruptcy in 2009, its Cadillac division has been a work in progress with the introduction of new models during a rotating cast of executives.

But on Friday, G.M. made what is perhaps its strongest move yet to bring stability to its luxury division, hiring Johan de Nysschen from Nissan’s Infiniti to lead Cadillac in an increasingly crowded luxury car market.

Before joining Nissan in 2012, Mr. de Nysschen built his reputation at the German automaker Volkswagen, where he played a key role in transforming its Audi brand from an also-ran in the United States into a true competitor with BMW and Mercedes-Benz. G.M. has long harbored similar ambitions for Cadillac.

By taking the unusual step of hiring an executive from outside the company, G.M. is hoping that Mr. de Nysschen can bring some of his Audi magic to Cadillac.