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Graham Hoare heads significant Ford business transformation push

Graham Hoare Ford
Graham Hoare: entrusted with making Ford fit for the future

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7 December 2018

  • Graham Hoare named executive director, Business Transformation, Ford of Britain, leading Sprint to 6 Reset & Redesign in the UK
  • Gunnar Herrmann appointed executive director, Business Transformation, Ford of Germany, to lead implementation of Ford’s Sprint to 6 Reset & Redesign plan in Germany
  • Kevin Reynolds, executive director, Strategy, has elected to retire after more than 40 years
  • Strategy skill team to report through Finance; Quality skill team to report through Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering

 

FORD is making a massive change in its key leadership and organisational structure as it prepares to meet the challenges of the future in its European operations.

The organisational changes, said Ford, support its Sprint to 6 Reset & Redesign plan in Europe to achieve a 6% EBIT margin, with a view to investing only in those vehicles, services and segments that best support a long-term, sustainably profitable business.

To accelerate its redesign efforts, Ford is appointing dedicated leaders to work with key stakeholders to guide its transformation in Germany and the UK – the company’s two largest markets in Europe – to help create a more fit and future-focused business.

Graham Hoare is appointed executive director, Business Transformation, Ford of Britain, leading the Sprint to 6 Reset & Redesign transition of Ford’s business in the UK, reporting to Steven Armstrong.

At the same time, Gunnar Herrmann is named executive director, Business Transformation, Ford of Germany, leading the implementation of Ford’s Sprint to 6 Reset & Redesign plan in Germany, also reporting to Armstrong. This complements Herrmann’s existing role as chairman, Ford-Werke GmbH.

“Gunnar and Graham bring vast expertise to their new roles leading our reset and redesign plan in their respective countries,” said Steve Armstrong, group vice president and president, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

“Working closely with the rest of the European leadership team, they will play a key role in creating a long-term sustainably profitable business for the benefit of our customers, employees, partners and communities.”

As the latest step in the company’s restructuring of its global salaried workforce, these organisational changes also aim to increase spans of control, speed decision-making and reduce bureaucracy.

Hoare’s responsibilities as director, Global Vehicle Evaluation and Verification, Ford of Europe, will be assumed by Andrew Brumley, chief engineer, Vehicle Evaluation and Verification, Ford of Europe.

Herrmann’s responsibilities leading the Quality skill team will be assumed by Lee Walker, who is named director, Quality, Ford of Europe. Quality now will report through to Caspar Dirk Hohage, who picks up responsibility for this skill team in addition to his existing responsibilities as vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.

At the same time, Kevin Reynolds, executive director, Strategy, Ford of Europe, is electing to retire after more than four decades with the company, effective end 2018.

“Kevin has been central to driving the strategy of a number of key projects and changes we have implemented in our business in the past decade, including the spin-off of Jaguar Land Rover and the creation of some of our most successful joint ventures, said Armstrong.

“We thank Kevin for his leadership during his more than 40 years at Ford, and we wish him all the best in his retirement.”

Reynolds’ replacement leading the Strategy skill team will be the subject of a future announcement. Strategy will report through to Will Periam, in addition to his existing responsibilities as chief financial officer and vice president, Finance.

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Nick Sharpe

Nick Sharpe

Nick Sharpe is an automotive content writer for Business Motoring

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