Ford Enables Lowe CEO to Lead Data and Software Transformation

DETROIT – Ford Motor has hired an online retail veteran as the new chief digital and information officer – marking the second high-level appointment to CEO Jim Farley’s leadership team during last week.

The automaker said Monday that Mike Amend, who was most recently president of the online line for Lowe’s, will oversee Ford’s data, software and technology, starting now. These are key areas of Farley’s Ford + turnaround plan, designed to reposition the automaker to generate more recurring revenue through software services.

“Mike adds a dimension to our team as we use technology and software to transform our business and our transportation from the inside out,” Farley said in a statement. “Ford has always been a vehicle innovator; now we are taking our digital capabilities to new levels to further differentiate ourselves with customers and competitors. “

At Lowe’s, Amend helped reverse the retailer’s online strategy. The company’s online sales more than doubled in 2020 compared to the previous year. The redesign made it better positioned to capture dollars during the home improvement boom and added many new options, such as curbside pickup and in-store lockers where customers could pick up their purchases online.

Prior to Lowe’s, Amend, 43, held similar roles at JCPenney and The Home Depot, according to his LinkedIn profile. He also previously worked at Dell Technologies and Sprint.

Ford said the Amend team would work closely with those led by Hau Thai-Tang, responsible for the company’s product platform and operations, and Doug Field, who joined Ford last week in from Apple as head of advanced technologies and embedded systems.

Amend and Field are major recruits for Ford, which is seen by many investors to be behind crosstown rival General Motors when it comes to emerging technologies such as electric vehicles and automobiles. Both are priorities as part of Ford’s turnaround plan.

– CNBC Melissa Repko contributed to this report.