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GRAEME Whickman, appointed to shut down Ford 's six – decade – old Australian manufacturing business, will officially leave the former automaker today, the company said.
In his stead, Kay Hart Ford, global director of distribution and digital vehicles experience is appointed president and CEO, Ford of Australia and New Zealand. Hart joins Ford Australia from Team Edison, a division of Ford formed to accelerate the development of its electric vehicle.
Ford stated that Hart, 40, would be based in Melbourne and report to Peter Fleet. Vice President and President of Ford Asia Pacific
Read more: The end of vehicle manufacturing for Australian consumers
"Kay is a recognized leader, strongly motivated by consumer ideas and dealership relationships. "Fleet said in a statement. "She has extensive experience in the business and around the world, and with strong knowledge and relationships in Australia and New Zealand, Kay will be a great asset to our management team and a strong advocate for our clients." of our dealers. "
Hart has already had responsibilities in the country. From 2013 to 2015, she was the Managing Director of Ford Philippines.
She began her career at Ford in 1988 at the New Zealand-based marketing team.
Whickman will formally leave
Whickman, a 20-year veteran of Ford, replaced Bob Graziano at the head of Ford Australia in 2015, while the company s 39 was preparing to liquidate his car and his machine. operations next year. Graziano announced the closures in May 2013 and confirmed that he had doubled his Australian tenure from three to six years to make sure he was there throughout the process of "transformation" of the manufacturer to the complete importer. However, after a 32 year career with Ford, Graziano chose to retire rather than having his term ended.
"In the past, some people coined the phrase" Falcon Motor Company. "And while it was a terrific legacy, it was also a blocking feature and I think some people could not see the Falcon, "Whickman told Wheels a year after the doors of the factory closed on October 6, 2016.
Read More : [Falcon] "[Falcon] projected a very large shadow and I do not think people could see that we had any other offers on the market … it's interesting to see what happens with the [Ford] Ranger, because the longer we see another product take a little more over. "
On Whickman's mandate, Ford introduced the performance car Mustang à son An Australian showroom, a model that has become the second best product of the brand derri re Ranger trade.
He also announced his intention to deploy the Ford Performance subcontractor. brand at the Australian showrooms, and present the Ford Raptor range as a halo model for the trade – despite the fact that it lacks the gasoline V6 biturbo engine that will power it in the US , and who uses a diesel engine with four cylinders double turbo.
In his most recent role in the United States, Hart was responsible for leading the transformation of Ford's future customer experience around the world. "As an experienced marketing manager, Hart has led innovations such as FordPass, the company's one-stop application that offers solutions to help consumers get the most out of their ownership experience. of vehicle ".
"I know that I leave a Ford much stronger in Australia and New Zealand than just a few years ago, a company that has a strong and vibrant future," he said. said Whickman. ]
"The industry is undergoing rapid change and I am confident that local management teams have the right plans in place to succeed," he said. "They will continue to be remembered in the Ford World World as great examples of what happens when well-targeted strategies are supported by dedicated and competent employees and dealers."
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