Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn is laying the last cornerstone in a series of organizational changes for its Ford+ growth plan, which has been designed to create an effective and efficient end-to-end global industrial system as the driving force behind all Ford vehicles — gas, hybrid, and electric.
“These moves will drive clarity and simplicity across Ford, so we can significantly ramp up our capabilities and combine them with businesses that are focused on the needs of different customers,” says Jim Farley, CEO of Ford. “We’re changing how we work to give those customers experiences that go way beyond their expectations, while maximizing quality, minimizing costs and stamping out complexity everywhere.”
The new industrial structure completes a series of actions to stimulate the growth and value-creation potential of Ford+, which is designed to provide close, enduring customer relationships; improving financial performance; and investments in iconic vehicles and disruptive technologies and software.
Previous actions included:
- Launching the Ford+ plan itself, to combine vehicles with software and services.
- Standing up the three distinct, customer-centered global automotive businesses:
Ford Blue, Ford Model e, and Ford Pro. - Deploying the new Ford operating system.
- Initiating Ford Integrated Services to provide customers with software-enabled experiences.
“We now have the right people with the right talent in the right places to give our customers products, services and value they can’t get anywhere else,” says Farley.
Kumar Galhotra, who was heading Ford Blue, the company’s business unit for gas and hybrid vehicles, becomes COO and will lead Ford’s global industrial system. Galhotra now oversees all global vehicle engineering and cycle planning, ICE and hybrid programs, supply chain management, and manufacturing of vehicles on behalf of all the business units.
Doug Field, as chief EV, digital and design officer, will continue to develop Ford systems at startup speed in designing electric vehicles, creating digital platforms, and software for Ford’s entire product lineup, and leading the company’s vehicle and digital design studios.
“Additionally, Doug and Kumar’s teams will support our customers and the businesses that serve them by rooting out waste, reducing costs and raising quality – in design and development, supply chain and manufacturing,” says Farley. “They’ll give everyone else at Ford even more freedom to get close to, understand and serve customers.”
In August, Peter Stern joined the company to lead the new Ford Integrated Services business. Stern’s group will seek to establish and market high-value, software-enabled services that use technologies such as Ford BlueCruise, the hands-free highway driving system. The team will work to provide new benefits for customers – and new opportunities for Ford – in areas like productivity, security, and next-generation buying and service experiences.
Succeeding Galhotra as the head of Ford Blue is Andrew Frick, who reports to Farley. Frick had been managing Ford Blue’s sales and distribution functions; trucks, SUVs, and enthusiast vehicles; and operations in Mexico and Canada.
Frick’s team and Ford dealers around the globe will have primary relationships with gas and hybrid customers – like Marin Gjaja with Ford Model e EV buyers and Ted Cannis with Ford Pro’s commercial customers. They’re accountable for making sure customers are heard throughout Ford and get best-in-class service and experiences.
Frick, Cannis and Gjaja are also responsible for go-to-market initiatives and sales, revenue, and profit growth in their respective business units.
In other Ford news, Ford and RTR Vehicles in North Carolina are celebrating a first-place finish at the 2023 Formula Drift, after RTR driver Chelsea DeNofa finished the season at the top of the podium in the Formula Drift Championship.
RTR and DeNofa competed with Spec 5-FD competition Mustang that shares DNA with the all-new, seventh-generation 2024 Ford Mustang.
“Mustang was bred for racing, from drifting to road courses, and we’re excited to build on this first championship for the all-new Mustang,” says Joe Bellino, Ford marketing manager for Mustang. “We’re confident this is the first of many trophies, and it came from a dominant season.”
Working in parallel with Ford, RTR developed three Mustang RTR Spec 5-FDs with entirely new exteriors based off the Mustang production car. Additional competition enhancements included more than 1,300 horsepower and enhanced suspension development.
The three competition Mustang vehicles marked the most significant evolution of the Formula Drift Mustang in years. They were also piloted by drift drivers from RTR Vehicles’ Drift Team, including Vaughn Gittin Jr., Chelsea DeNofa, Adam LZ, and their newest team member, three-time champion James Deane.
