Jim Hackett’s appointment to the role of CEO last month wasn’t the only big change to take place in the upper levels of Ford Motor Company; the automaker also expanded the roles of Jim Farley and Joe Hinrichs, who are now President of Global Markets and President of Global Operations, respectively, while bestowing communications and government affairs responsibilities upon Executive Chairman Bill Ford.
That’s a big shakeup for Ford, but not so extraordinary for a twenty-first-century automaker, reports Automotive News.
“The whole world is shuffling the deck right now,” says Center for Automotive Research Chairman Emeritus Dave Cole. “The industry’s being divided into haves and have-nots. Ford is a ‘have’ company. They have the resources to do whatever it takes to be successful, but they just have to move themselves aggressively in the right direction.”
Cole says that disruptive tech firms and stock market performance have forced automakers to alter their approach. Ford is doing just that, trying to effect a “flatter” management structure, as CEO Jim Hackett called it in a recent interview. According to Automotive News, the automaker is still working out the details, sorting out how its new structure can help speed decision-making and make the company quicker on its feet, but it may help that Hackett has only eight direct reports, versus the eighteen higher-ups who reported directly to his predecessor.
Those reports are:
- Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks
- Chief Technology Officer Ken Washington
- General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer Bradley Gayton
- President of Global Operations Joe Hinrichs
- President of Global Markets Jim Farley
- President of Mobility Marcy Klevorn
- Group VP of Global Strategy John Casesa
- Group VP of Human Resources and Corporate Services Felicia Fields
“The clock speed at which the world is moving, and our competitors, really requires us to make decisions at a faster pace,” said Bill Ford when CEO Jim Hackett was first tapped to lead the company last month. “And we have to trust our people to move fast. It’s not command and control.” The automaker hopes that with its new leadership structure, it will be able to do just that.
Comments
Congratulations Mr. Hackett. I’m sure this is a big moment for you and i wish you the best of luck in your new title. I do have a couple of questions for you in your new position. Now Ford has some big competition out there with the Chevrolet Camaro, the Doge Challenger and the Dodge Charger. Not to mention the truck competition from vehicles with actual V8 engines under their hoods? How do you plan to compete with them? Could cutting out cars like the Fiesta, the Focus, the Fusion, the Edge, & the escape be in the cards and going with just the Mustang, an S550 Chassis sedan, the ranger, the bronco, the explorer and F-series trucks be a great idea for the Ford company? How do you feel about scrapping the hybrid and mobility market and going along with just making real cars with real engines? What is your stand on finally making Lincoln vehicles with actual names and Lincoln vehicles that can truly compete with the likes of Cadillac? These are very important questions Mr. Hackett and we, the American people need to see real change in the Ford brand. We need to see V8 sedan competition for the Dodge Charger, we need to see real V8 powered trucks get back on the market, We don’t need anymore hybrids or mobility ideas. The wheel does not need to be reinvented. V8 powered cars don’t need to disappear off the market, we have amazing technology and materials to make V8 powered cars and trucks still relevant on the streets of today. Here’s a great idea for the Ford brand if they want to do something new, Motorcycles! besides Harley Davidson, there are no great American Motorcycles. Take your Ecoboost technology and put it on two wheels, or three wheels If Ford can take a 1.5L ecoboost engine and make 150-180hp and put that on a motorcycle that would be perfect. Ingenuity at its finest and Ford is all about ingenuity. Talk about a lower carbon footprint right? Fuel efficiency and everything and its in an untapped market. Make a V4 muscle cruiser based off of the Flat Crank 5.2L Voodoo engine and put it in a capable chassis that’s easy to handle, can soak up miles of highway, looks good and can destroy a ZX14 or Hayabusa with ease! There’s no need to compete with in the small car market, Dodge isn’t competing in that market and they are flourishing with all of their Hemi Horsepower! GM is trying but their Buick Achilles heel is killing them. Leave Honda, Mitsubishi and the rest of the Japanese imports to their rightful death in the American market and lets start making cars American can be proud of. High performance RWD/AWD cars that can be practical. If Dodge can do it so can Ford. No more of this Front wheel drive nonsense, Keep the 2.3L 350hp/350tq Ecoboost as a base engine for certain vehicles, keep the 3.5L Ecoboost, the 5.0L Coyote, make a bigger 5+ liter V8, make the 7.0L V8, kill the V10 gasoline engine, keep the power-stroke V8, kill the 3.0L Diesel completely and replace it with a 5.0L turbo-diesel V8 and call it a day. Real Americans will appreciate you.
As a minor Ford stock shareholder, of which I plan on increasing my holdings, I value a valued company, such as Ford!
I presently own 2, bought new, 2021 Fords. A Ford F150, FX4, Supercab, and a Ford Ecosport SE, 4X4. Both run well.
With gasoline prices going out the roof, Ford will need to strive to stay ahead of the curve. More, gas efficient, hybrids,…and of course the E-Mustangs, to go forward!
I look forward, in hopeful anticipation, of a bright, Ford, furure!