Ford reorganizes executive ranks with new talent, expanded roles

Ford Motor is reorganizing its executive ranks as it adds new talent and gives a handful of leaders expanded roles in conjunction with the previously announced retirement of Hau Thai-Tang, the longtime product and purchasing chief.

CFO John Lawler will temporarily oversee a makeover of Ford’s global supply chain operations as the company looks for a permanent chief. Jonathan Jennings, Ford’s vice president of supply chain, also will take on additional responsibility for supplier technical assistance and quality, the company said on Thursday.

Doug Field, who was chief advanced technology and embedded systems officer, becomes chief advanced product development and technology officer. In addition to his current duties overseeing EVs and software, he’ll now be in charge of design and vehicle hardware engineering.

Lisa Drake, vice president of EV industrialization, will now also be responsible for manufacturing engineering. And Jim Baumbick, formerly vice president of industrial platform, operations and new model launch for Ford Blue, now will oversee all product development for Ford’s gasoline vehicles as vice president for product development operations, cycle planning and internal combustion engine programs.

Chuck Gray, who has been Ford’s vice president of EV technology, is now vice president, vehicle hardware engineering.

“As we enter an intense period of execution for Ford Model e and our $50 billion investment in breakthrough electric and digital vehicles, Doug, Lisa and Chuck are taking on larger roles and building out very capable teams,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said in a statement. “Developing and scaling the next generation of electric and software-defined vehicles requires a different focus and mix of talent from the accomplished Ford team and many exciting new colleagues joining our company.”

Drake and Gray report to Field. Baumbick reports to Kumar Galhotra, president of Ford Blue.

Additionally, Ford said it has hired four new executives with “Silicon Valley credentials.”

Rox Ho, former vice president and global head of software at HP, will join Ford next month as chief connected vehicle software officer. Ford says she will work closely with Jae Park, who recently was hired as vice president of digital product design after stints at Google and Amazon.

Sammy Omari is now Ford’s executive director of advanced driver assist technologies. He previously worked at Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv.

The company also announced the hiring of Rob Bedichek, executive director of platform architecture. He previously worked at Intel and Apple.

Thai-Tang’s retirement after 34 years at Ford is effective Oct. 1. The company said Dave Filipe, vice president of vehicle hardware modules, also is retiring. Filipe is leaving Dec. 1 after 28 years at the automaker.

“We’re grateful for Hau’s and Dave’s significant contributions to Ford and our Ford+ plan, which helped set the stage for our exciting future,” Farley said.