Ford to appoint female Ford family member on board for the first time

• Two members of the Ford family are vying for election to the Ford Motor board of directors, the automaker said on Friday.
• Alexandra Ford English would be the first woman in the Ford family to serve on the board, according to CNN Business.
• Ford has made several leadership changes over the past year, including appointing a new CEO.
• See more stories on the Insider business page.

One of two Ford family members to be elected to the automaker’s board of directors at its annual meeting of shareholders in May would become the first woman in the family of renowned brands to serve on the board of directors, a milestone for a company that has reshuffled leadership over the past year. and navigate a changing landscape for the cars and the energy they use.

Alexandra Ford English, 33, works for Ford as Director of Corporate Strategy and is Ford’s representative on the board of directors of Rivian, the electric automaker in which Ford has invested. His father is Ford’s executive chairman, Bill Ford, and his great-great-grandfather is the company’s founder, Henry Ford.

Three women currently sit on the board of 12 directors of the Dearborn, Michigan-based company. CNN Business first announced that Ford English would be the first woman in its family to sit on the board.

Henry Ford III, 40, and director of Ford’s investor relations team, is also running for election to the board. Like Ford English, his great-great-grandfather is also the founder of the company.

Two board members are set to leave: Edsel Ford is expected to leave the board in May after three decades and John Lechleiter has decided not to run for office, according to a company statement.

Ford has made several leadership changes over the past year, including the appointment of a new general manager to Jim Farley last fall. Farley, who had previously only been appointed COO, replaced Jim Hackett. Ford also said in February 2020 that Joe Hinrichs would retire as president of the automobile, Insider reported.

The company and its competitors, most notably Tesla, have embarked on the production of electric vehicles in recent years to adapt to a changing environment and help attract the changing tastes of customers.

“The three strategic areas that are critical for us are to turn around our automotive business, modernize everywhere and really disrupt us for the future,” said Bob Holycross, Ford vice president of sustainability last month. , environment and safety. industry conference hosted by RBC Capital Markets.