Ford has announced management changes designed to 'speed turnarounds of key regional units'.
Steven Armstrong, ex-CEO of Ford Europe who has led the Changan Ford joint venture in China for the past year and a half, will become transformation officer, South America and India, effective May 1. In that role, he will lead evaluation of capital allocations to India and conclusion of restructuring of Ford's South America business.
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The company said in January that, going forward, it will serve customers in South America with SUVs, pickups and commercial vehicles sourced from Argentina, Uruguay and other markets.
At the same time, Daniel Justo, currently Ford's CFO in the region, will become, president, Ford South America. Justo and Anurag Mehrotra, managing director, Ford of India, both will report to Armstrong in his new role.
After a transition period, Lyle Watters, who is presently Ford's president, South America and International Markets Group, and headed the transformation planning for South America, will relocate to Shanghai and take on the newly created position of general manager, Ford Passenger Vehicle Division, within Ford China, starting July 1.
Watters and his team will be accountable for broadening Ford's appeal to and enhancing the experience of customers with must-have products and services – more and more of them developed in-country for China consumers.
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By GlobalDataBoth Watters and Armstrong are Ford corporate officers. Armstrong will report to Kumar Galhotra, president, Americas and International Markets Group, along with Dianne Craig, who became president of Ford's International MarketsGroup in February. In his new position, Watters will report to Anning Chen, president and CEO, Ford China.
