Al Koch has an unenviable job. As chief executive of Motors Liquidation Company , the "bad" part of General Motors that remains under Chapter 11 protection, he must determine the fate of 200 properties and more than half a million contracts abandoned by the Detroit carmaker during its swift journey through bankruptcy court.

Mr Koch, vice-chairman of AlixPartners, the restructuring consultancy hired to run MLC, told the Financial Times he was putting together a 10-year plan under which the unwanted assets would be "either sold, demolished or donated, if they can't be sold".