Ford Motor Company has appointed Jim Padilla chief operating officer, yanking the title from Nick Scheele, who remains president.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


A Ford statement issued on Thursday to announce a number of executive appointments said Scheele “will remain in a top leadership position overseeing global product creation and information technology”.


David Thursfield, chairman of Ford of Europe, will retire from May 1 but will remain a consultant to the company.


Mark Fields becomes executive vice president, Ford of Europe and Premier Automotive Group. He continues as PAG chairman and CEO.


Lewis Booth becomes chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe, reporting to Fields. Booth, 55, had been Ford Europe president and chief operating officer.

Just Auto Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Auto Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Continental has secured the Window Displays Innovation Award in the 2025 Just Auto Excellence Awards for its Window Projection solution, transforming side windows into dynamic, data-rich canvases. Discover how this compact projection technology and intelligent software are reshaping in-car UX and opening fresh revenue streams for OEMs and mobility providers.

Discover the Impact