Ford has announced announcing major changes in its China, India, global strategy and finance management team as part of plans to “elevate” Chinese operations and its new strategy to be both an auto and mobility company.

Notable for the Asia Pacific region is the retirement of Changan Ford president Marin Burela on 1 October. He will be an Asia Pacific special advisor until then.

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Burela (who, according to Australia’s GoAutoNews, migrated from Croatia to Geelong in 1965 when he was a young boy and began
his career with Ford Australia in 1984, rising to president and CEO) has worked for the automaker for 32 years.

Ford’s operations in China – including the import business and passenger car joint venture Changan Ford and commercial vehicle joint venture Jiangling Motors, will now be headed by Dave Schoch, group vice president and president of Asia Pacific. Schoch is also now chairman and chief executive officer of the Chinese unit.

Of Burela, Schoch said: “[He] has made significant contributions to our operations globally, including leading the development of our global small car portfolio and building Changan Ford into a very successful business in the world’s largest car market.”

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Nigel Harris, formerly president and managing director of Ford India, is now a company officer and president of Changan Ford, succeeding Burela. Harris, GoAutoNews said, is well known in the region as a former managing director of Ford New Zealand and, later, as VP of sales, service
and distribution for the Ford Asia-Pacific and Africa region. He also has experience with the Changan JV having spent five years there as general
manager of sales from 2007 to 2012.

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Burela and Harris take up their new roles on 1 July, the latter’s successor will be announced later.

Stuart Rowley is now in the new global role of VP of strategy, replaced as VP and controller by John Lawler, previously head of Ford China. He will report to John Casesa, group VP of global strategy and is charged with accelerating the development of new business models in both the company’s core and emerging business opportunities. Rowley is also a previous CFO of both Ford of Europe and Volvo Car. Lawler was once CFO of Ford Asia Pacific and Africa, based in Shanghai.

Ford president and CEO, Mark Fields, said: “These moves are part of our commitment to continue developing our leadership team and strengthening their expertise throughout the business. As our growth plans in China have developed, this market is delivering an increasingly important portion of our revenue and profits globally. Elevating the reporting of this business right now reflects China’s importance in our profitable growth plan going forward.”