Ford Announces Management Team Changes

Ford Motor Company is today announcing changes to its senior management team, which includes placing broader emphasis on relations with Government across its Premier Automotive Group and Ford of Europe businesses.

Joe Greenwell takes up newly created role of Vice President Government Affairs Premier Automotive Group and Ford of Europe.

Geoff Polites, currently Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe, appointed CEO of Jaguar and Land Rover.

Bennie Fowler, currently Chief Operating Officer of Jaguar Cars and Land Rover, returns to the United States to take up the role of Vice President Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, The Americas.

Jan Gijsen, currently Operations Manager at Ford's Genk plant, appointed Manufacturing Director of Jaguar and Land Rover. Recent political developments and the legislative environment in Europe have resulted in the creation of a new executive role to develop and coordinate all Ford Motor Company's strategy with Government and other official bodies in the European region.

Following sales and product expansion at Land Rover and setting in train necessary structural changes at Jaguar Cars, Joe Greenwell will take on this new role reporting to Mark Fields. He will work closely with Wolfgang Schneider who will continue in his role as Vice President, Legal and Governmental Affairs, Ford of Europe.

Replacing Greenwell as CEO of Jaguar and Land Rover, Geoff Polites is a highly experienced business leader with 35 years in both general and sales management including over 10 years as a dealer. He will continue the progress Joe Greenwell has made growing the Land Rover business through new product and revitalising the Jaguar business.

Polites will also absorb the role previously held by Bennie Fowler who is returning to Detroit to take up the role of Vice President Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, a key role in Ford Motor Company's global manufacturing organization.

Supporting Polites, Jan Gijsen will join the Jaguar and Land Rover leadership team, taking up the recreated role of Manufacturing Director, previously held by David Hudson.

Executive Vice President Premier Automotive Group and Ford of Europe Mark Fields said: "Joe's tenure has seen the launch of many award-winning new products, including the Range Rover Sport and LR3/Discovery 3, and laying the foundations for a new XK sports car and addressing the business issues at Jaguar.

"In the current political environment in Europe, it is very important for us to have a stronger voice with Government. We have recently strengthened our Government Affairs executive body in the United States and the new position we are creating in Europe mirrors these moves. Joe is highly regarded internationally and his extensive experience makes him ideal for this new role.

"Few people know how to run a car business like Geoff. He proved his leadership and business acumen at Ford Australia, where he led a significant turnaround based on combining an emphasis on new product development with strategic and structural re-alignment. Prior to that he was an award-winning dealer and led the dealer council in Australia. More recently in Europe has seen through the highly successful market introduction of the new Ford Focus. He will prove a very strong successor to Joe.

"During his tenure as COO, Bennie has steered through some significant changes at Jaguar and Land Rover, particularly on the manufacturing side, including the adoption of lean manufacturing principles and our new quality operating system as well as the launch of several award winning Land Rovers and Jaguars. His time in the UK has been an important step in his development as a senior leader in Ford manufacturing. We wish him well in his new role.

"Jan is returning to Jaguar and Land Rover. He currently runs the Genk plant but has an extensive international manufacturing track record, including an instrumental role in the transition of Halewood to one of the leading plants in Ford's global manufacturing operation."

Geoff Polites successor at Ford of Europe will be the subject of a further announcement.

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