Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) announced today that Elena Ford, Ford’s chief customer experience officer, is now named chief dealer engagement officer, effective immediately. In this role, Ms. Ford will work with Ford’s 10,000 dealers worldwide to “accelerate their transformation into a competitive differentiator across Ford’s global businesses.” The stated goal is “to increase the consistency and efficiency of Ford’s global dealer council’s governance, improve retail facilities, modernize training and development, become more diverse, further raise community engagement, and amplify best practices.”
Ford also announced that Lisa Materazzo, previously Toyota’s top marketing executive in North America, is joining Ford as global chief marketing officer effective today, reporting to Ford President and CEO Jim Farley. At Toyota, Materazzo also held positions at Lexus and Scion. At Ford, Materazzo will lead advanced product planning and all marketing activities across Ford Blue, Ford Model e and Ford Pro. She will also oversee Ford Performance and Lincoln. Senior Marketing positions have experienced some churn at Ford recently.
Reporting to Materazzo in some way William Clay “Will” Ford III will be joining the company as general manager, Ford Performance, later this month. In the role, Will Ford* will work on Ford Performance as a business and lifestyle brand, through product development, marketing, dealers, merchandising and other Ford teams.
Ford is bolstering its performance and motorsports activities . It is entering Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing, competing in endurance racing at LeMans next year with Mustang, as well as starting new Mustang racing series. The company continues to develop lineup of performance cars and trucks, such as the Mustang GTD, Mustang Darkhorse and F-150 Raptor R. Much of this copies existing and successful programs at Mercedes-AMG, Ferrari, Acura, Corvette, and Porsche, among others.
“I grew up in a family of auto enthusiasts and have dedicated my career to automotive. I’m a huge motorsports enthusiast. My idea of a vacation is going to F1 races around the world,” Materazzo said. “I feel incredibly blessed to be joining this iconic company at a time when it’s making bold bets on the future – from the three new divisions of the company to the audacious performance and motorsports plan. I am especially excited to work with Lincoln President Dianne Craig and the whole Lincoln team to reinvigorate this iconic and powerful brand.”
Materazzo’s involvement with the auto industry and motorsports traces back to growing up in Upstate New York close to the Watkins Glen racetrack. She learned to drive in a 1981 Ford Mustang Cobra.
“I have worked hand-in-hand with dealers throughout my career and I am excited to now partner with our 10,000 dealers globally to make our retail network a competitive advantage for Ford,” Elena Ford said
*Will Ford graduated from Princeton University and received his MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He spent a decade working on early-stage mobility startups as a venture capital investor and entrepreneur, ac coring to Ford.
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Elena Ford and William Clay Ford III in New Roles at Ford Motor
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) announced today that Elena Ford, Ford’s chief customer experience officer, is now named chief dealer engagement officer, effective immediately. In this role, Ms. Ford will work with Ford’s 10,000 dealers worldwide to “accelerate their transformation into a competitive differentiator across Ford’s global businesses.” The stated goal is “to increase the consistency and efficiency of Ford’s global dealer council’s governance, improve retail facilities, modernize training and development, become more diverse, further raise community engagement, and amplify best practices.”
Ford also announced that Lisa Materazzo, previously Toyota’s top marketing executive in North America, is joining Ford as global chief marketing officer effective today, reporting to Ford President and CEO Jim Farley. At Toyota, Materazzo also held positions at Lexus and Scion. At Ford, Materazzo will lead advanced product planning and all marketing activities across Ford Blue, Ford Model e and Ford Pro. She will also oversee Ford Performance and Lincoln. Senior Marketing positions have experienced some churn at Ford recently.
Reporting to Materazzo in some way William Clay “Will” Ford III will be joining the company as general manager, Ford Performance, later this month. In the role, Will Ford* will work on Ford Performance as a business and lifestyle brand, through product development, marketing, dealers, merchandising and other Ford teams.
Ford is bolstering its performance and motorsports activities . It is entering Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing, competing in endurance racing at LeMans next year with Mustang, as well as starting new Mustang racing series. The company continues to develop lineup of performance cars and trucks, such as the Mustang GTD, Mustang Darkhorse and F-150 Raptor R. Much of this copies existing and successful programs at Mercedes-AMG, Ferrari, Acura, Corvette, and Porsche, among others.
“I grew up in a family of auto enthusiasts and have dedicated my career to automotive. I’m a huge motorsports enthusiast. My idea of a vacation is going to F1 races around the world,” Materazzo said. “I feel incredibly blessed to be joining this iconic company at a time when it’s making bold bets on the future – from the three new divisions of the company to the audacious performance and motorsports plan. I am especially excited to work with Lincoln President Dianne Craig and the whole Lincoln team to reinvigorate this iconic and powerful brand.”
Materazzo’s involvement with the auto industry and motorsports traces back to growing up in Upstate New York close to the Watkins Glen racetrack. She learned to drive in a 1981 Ford Mustang Cobra.
“I have worked hand-in-hand with dealers throughout my career and I am excited to now partner with our 10,000 dealers globally to make our retail network a competitive advantage for Ford,” Elena Ford said
*Will Ford graduated from Princeton University and received his MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He spent a decade working on early-stage mobility startups as a venture capital investor and entrepreneur, ac coring to Ford.
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