daimlerchrysler ha scritto:
taking tighter control of its European operations amid a leadership vacuum after its regional boss left the company to join Volkswagen Group.
The U.S. automaker is reducing the management team at its Europe headquarters in Cologne, Germany to a maximum of four directors from nine.
The change comes after Ford's top executive in Europe, Martin Sander, left the company on June 12 to become Volkswagen brand's head of sales and marketing.
Sander's post will be axed, along with the deputy role, a source familiar with the matter told Automotive News Europe sister publication Automobilwoche. This means that Ford's top management in Detroit de facto takes over full command in Cologne.
Only two of the four remaining management positions have been determined so far, the source said.
Christian Weingaertner will retain responsibility for marketing and sales for Germany, Austrian and Switzerland.
Rene Wolf will remain manufacturing director of Ford's European factories.
One of the remaining director roles will be filled with an executive from within the company, while the other post will be filled with an external candidate.
Other lower tier executives will keep their operational tasks, but they will report to Ford's U.S. headquarters in Dearborn. An exception is personnel manager Rainer Ludwig, who will retire.
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Ford gave brief details about the reorganization.
"This change simplifies our administrative and management structure in Germany, gives us more speed of action and allows the management team to concentrate fully on its operational tasks and lead Ford into a successful future," Ford Germany Supervisory board chairman Kieran Cahill said in a statement.
The changes take effect on July 1.
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Ford is reducing the freedom of its European managers at a time when "they need far-reaching powers to move the company forward," the source told Automobilwoche.
"In the current situation, it is not easy to fill management positions at Ford in Europe," the source added.
Ford is slashing jobs at its European operations in Germany, the U.K. and Spain as its passenger car sales fall amid its shift to focus on electric cars and its profitable Transit light commercial van line.
The brand's sales in the EU, EFTA and U.K. markets fell 16 percent to 188,021 in the first five months, pushing its market share down to 3.4 percent from 4.2 percent.
Ford axed its Fiesta small car in 2023 and its Focus compact car will go out of production in 2025.
The company is pinning its hopes on the just-launched all-electric Explorer crossover, which uses VW Group's MEB platform and a second, coupe-styled EV based on the same platform that is expected to revive the Capri badge.
Ford is rethinking its plan to sell only full-electric cars in Europe by 2030 as the EV market fails to take off.
Ford ha nuovamente tagliato il management europeo e riportato molte competenze a Detroit.
E’ un ulteriore segno che la divisione europea è ai minimi termini, automobilwoche parla apertamente di soluzione “brasiliana” in pratica verranno chiuse tutte le fabbriche europee dove vengono prodotti veicoli passeggeri e verranno sviluppati solo i veicoli commerciali (per poi eventualmente venderli a Vw).
Vedremo...dicono che GM verrà "comprata" da Stellantis...magari vw farà la stessa cosa con Ford e manterrà il "logo" Ford anche in Europa.