Ford Realigns Worldwide Leadership Structure

Ford Motor Co. President and CEO Alan Mulally realigns the auto maker’s executive structure in an attempt to place additional focus on its worldwide markets and customers while better leveraging the auto maker’s global assets.

Under the new structure, there will be three automotive business unit leaders: Mark Fields, Ford of the Americas; Lewis Booth, Ford of Europe and the Premier Automotive Group; and John Parker, Ford of Asia/Pacific and Africa, and Mazda Motor Corp.

Derrick Kuzak now will lead global product development and report directly to Mulally. Kuzak will also continue his role as product chief for the Americas, and J Mays will continue to lead Ford design and support Kuzak, the auto maker says.

Also now reporting to Mulally are: Tony Brown-purchasing; Bennie Fowler-quality and advanced manufacturing engineering; Nick Smither-information technology; and Richard-Parry Jones-chief technical officer.

Mulally’s other direct reports remain unchanged, the auto maker says.

“An integrated, global product development team supporting our automotive business units will enable us to make the best use of our global assets and capabilities and accelerate development of the new vehicles our customers prefer and do so more efficiently,” Mulally says in a statement.

“This new leadership will enable us to work together more effectively as one Ford team to continuously improve the quality, productivity and speed of our product development process.”