Ford chief technical officer Schmidt to retire on February 1

Gerhard Schmidt

Ford Motor Company on October 21 announced the retirements of two company officers as well as a series of executive appointments that will further strengthen Ford’s global management team in support of the company’s One Ford plan.

Gerhard Schmidt, Ford’s chief technical officer and vice president for research & advanced engineering, will retire February 1, after 10 years with the company.

Schmidt, 64, a former executive with BMW AG, has led Ford’s worldwide research organization based in Dearborn, Mich., and Aachen, Germany. Ford’s Research and Advanced Engineering staff of scientists, engineers and technicians is dedicated to supporting the company as a leader in providing safe, sustainable and affordable mobility through innovation in science and technology.

Paul Mascarenas

“Gerhard has been a visionary leader for Research & Advanced Engineering,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president for global product development. “Many of the technologies that are now changing consumers’ views of Ford – EcoBoost, state-of-the-art diesels, SYNC – all had their roots in Research & Advanced Engineering. Gerhard’s commitment to customer-driven technology and an unrelenting drive to see that technology in our production vehicles has left a lasting imprint on all of us, and just as importantly, on our processes.”

Succeeding Schmidt as CTO and vice president for research & advanced engineering will be Paul Mascarenas, 49, currently Ford’s vice president for engineering. He will report to Kuzak.

Ingvar Sviggum

Ford also announced that Ingvar Sviggum, vice president for marketing, sales and service, Ford of Europe, will retire January 1. Sviggum, 65, was appointed VP for marketing, sales and service for Ford of Europe in April 2008. Prior to that, Sviggum was vice president of European sales operations for Ford of Europe. He joined Ford Norway in 1963 as a trainee.

“Ingvar has made a huge contribution to Ford in his close to half a century of service with our company,” said Stephen Odell, chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe. “He has a wealth of experience and knowledge that is unrivaled and has shown throughout the years a true passion for the business and a talent for leadership.”

Sviggum will be succeeded by Roelant de Waard, 48, currently vice president for sales, Ford of Europe. De Waard also is appointed an officer of Ford Motor Company. He will report to Odell and Jim Farley, group vice president for global marketing, sales and service.

Barb Samardzich

In addition to these changes, Ford is announcing several key executive appointments in its Global Product Development organization, reporting to Kuzak. Effective January 1:

• Barb Samardzich, 52, vice president, Powertrain Engineering, is appointed vice president, Global Product Programs. Concurrently, Hau Thai-Tang, 44, director, Product Development, Ford South America Operations, is appointed executive director, Global Product Programs.
• Joe Bakaj, 48, vice president, Global Product Programs and Product Development, Ford of Europe, is appointed vice president, Powertrain Engineering.
  
  Joe Bakaj
• Raj Nair, 45, vice president, Operations, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa, is elected an officer of the company and appointed Vice President, Engineering.
• Frank Davis, 49, executive director, North America Product Programs, is appointed vice president, Product Development, Ford of Europe. Davis will report to both Odell and Kuzak.
• Matt O’Leary, 55, director, Corporate Strategy, is appointed director, Product Development, Ford South America Operations, replacing Hau Thai-Tang. O’Leary will report to Kuzak and Eduardo Serrano, executive director, Latin America.

“These moves further strengthen our Global Product Development team as we continue to accelerate the development of new vehicles around the world that customers truly desire with the best quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value,” Kuzak said.