Marin Burela, former CEO of Ford Australia, has been appointed CEO of Chang’an Ford Mazda Automobile (CFMA), effective 11 November 2010.
Current CEO Shen Yingquan will officially retire from CFMA on 31 December. During November and December, he will still work in the company to ensure a successful transition.
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Burela first joined Ford in 1984 and has served in a variety of senior management positions in manufacturing, sales and marketing, and product development, in Asia, Europe and North America, including senior management and board positions at Jaguar and Land Rover.
He will be responsible for CFMA’s overall business in China, consisting of construction of the automaker’s third vehicle factory and second engine production base located in southwest China’s Chongqing municipality.
Robert Graziano will succeed Burela as president and CEO of Ford Australia and New Zealand from 1 November.
Prior to his current role as chairman and CEO of Ford China, Graziano held a series of leadership positions in the Americas, Asia and Africa. He developed Ford China’s expansion plans, overseeing investments of US$1.3 bn during the past 12 months alone, while expanding the dealer network and achieving record growth in sales volume and profits.
Joe Hinrichs, president of Ford’s Asia Pacific and Africa region, which is headquartered in Shanghai, together with Ford China, will assume additional responsibilities as chairman and CEO of Ford China, also from 1 November.
Ford expects 70% of its growth in the next 10 years to come from its Asia Pacific and Africa region, with a majority coming from China.
The region encompasses markets on three continents, including Australia, China, India, Thailand and South Africa. Industry sales in the region are expected to increase from 16m units in 2009 to an estimated 35m units by 2018.
Ford has invested $4bn since 2006 in the region and employs more than 25,000 people there.
