{"id":51749,"date":"2026-04-15T20:54:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T20:54:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=51749"},"modified":"2026-04-15T20:54:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T20:54:31","slug":"ford-ev-chief-leaving-automaker-amid-new-restructuring-efforts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=51749","title":{"rendered":"Ford EV chief leaving automaker amid new restructuring efforts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"RegularArticle-ArticleBody-5\" data-module=\"ArticleBody\" data-test=\"articleBody-2\" data-analytics=\"RegularArticle-articleBody-5-2\"><span class=\"HighlightShare-hidden\" style=\"top:0;left:0\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"InlineImage-imageEmbed\" id=\"ArticleBody-InlineImage-108292054\" data-test=\"InlineImage\">\n<div class=\"InlineImage-wrapper\">\n<div>\n<p>Doug Field, the chief EV, digital and design officer at Ford Motor, speaks at Louisville Assembly Plant as Ford shares its plans to design and assemble its &#8220;Universal Electric Vehicle&#8221; platform on August 11, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Courtesy Ford<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"group\">\n<p>DETROIT \u2014 <span class=\"QuoteInBody-quoteNameContainer\" data-test=\"QuoteInBody\" id=\"RegularArticle-QuoteInBody-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/quotes\/F\/\">Ford Motor<\/a><span class=\"QuoteInBody-inlineButton\"><span class=\"AddToWatchlistButton-watchlistContainer\" id=\"-WatchlistDropdown\" data-analytics-id=\"-WatchlistDropdown\"><button class=\"AddToWatchlistButton-watchlistButton\" aria-label=\"Add To Watchlist\" data-testid=\"dropdown-btn\"><span class=\"AddToWatchlistButton-addWatchListFromTag\"\/><\/button><\/span><\/span><\/span>&#8216;s head of electric vehicles and software is leaving the automaker as it restructures its executives and operations.<\/p>\n<p>Ford on Wednesday said Doug Field \u2014 chief EV, digital and design officer \u2014 has &#8220;elected to leave the company after a transition over the next month.&#8221; A release announcing the move mentioned a &#8220;next chapter&#8221; for Field, but the executive declined to disclose specific plans on a Wednesday call with media. <\/p>\n<p>Field&#8217;s departure was announced in conjunction with Ford detailing a new executive structure that includes the establishment of a &#8220;Product Creation and Industrialization&#8221; organization at the company that will be led by Ford veteran and Chief Operating Officer Kumar Galhotra.<\/p>\n<p>Ford said the new structure will integrate Field&#8217;s responsibilities with the company&#8217;s global Industrial System group to help the automaker hit certain goals under its &#8220;Ford+&#8221; business plan, such as its target of an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2023\/05\/21\/ford-capital-markets-convince-wall-street-skeptics.html\">8% adjusted EBIT margin<\/a> by 2029.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Today is a very important moment for us at Ford, really for our next chapter. It&#8217;s also an important moment for all of us as leaders,&#8221; Ford CEO <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/jim-farley\/\">Jim Farley<\/a> said Wednesday on the call with Field and Galhotra. &#8220;We believe this organization change will really help us deliver all the key Ford plus objectives.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Field&#8217;s departure comes as Ford is preparing to launch a next generation of electric vehicles that Farley has said are as important as the company&#8217;s famed Model T.<\/p>\n<p>Farley and Field on the call with media said the upcoming vehicle \u2014 a midsize pickup built on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2026\/02\/17\/ford-ev-platform-pickup-truck.html\">Ford&#8217;s &#8220;Universal Electric Vehicle,&#8221;<\/a> or UEV, platform that&#8217;s due out next year \u2014 was in a solid position to continue in the new unit without Field.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Ford will be changed by taking these products all the way over the finish line. My team is ready, and they&#8217;re ready to execute,&#8221; Field said Wednesday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"ArticleBody-subtitle\"><a id=\"headline0\"\/>&#8216;Heart and soul&#8217; of Ford transformation<\/h2>\n<div class=\"group\">\n<p>Ford on Wednesday described the new Product Creation and Industrialization unit as an &#8220;end-to-end organization&#8221; that aims to &#8220;deliver one of the most intensive product, software, and services rollouts in Ford&#8217;s history.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The automaker plans to refresh 80% of its North American portfolio by volume and 70% of its global portfolio by volume by 2029, the company said. That includes the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2025\/08\/11\/ford-louisville-assembly-plant-ev-investment.html\">UEV pickup truck<\/a>, next-generation F-150 and larger F-Series Super Duty lineup.<\/p>\n<p>That turnaround of products also will include new powertrain offerings and software, Ford said Wednesday. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"Placeholder-ArticleBody-Video-108242108\">\n<div role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" id=\"Placeholder-ArticleBody-Video-108242108\" class=\"PlaceHolder-wrapper\" data-vilynx-id=\"7000398396\" data-test=\"VideoPlaceHolder\">\n<div class=\"InlineVideo-videoEmbed\" id=\"InlineVideo-0\" data-test=\"InlineVideo\">\n<div class=\"InlineVideo-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"InlineVideo-inlineThumbnailContainer\"><span class=\"InlineVideo-videoButton\"\/><span\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"group\">\n<p>&#8220;This is really the heart and soul over the next couple years of our transformation,&#8221; Farley said. &#8220;This new structure positions us to move a lot faster, reduce complexity inside the company and deliver those great digital experiences and vehicles with greater quality and efficiency.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>By 2030, the company is planning for 90% of its global nameplates to offer electrified powertrains, including hybrids, extended-range electric vehicles and full EVs. It is also aiming to have 90% of its Ford&#8217;s vehicles by volume feature updated &#8220;electrical architectures, in-house developed user experiences and hardware, and next-generation over-the-air capabilities for continuous improvement in experiences and services.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Ford said the new technologies will enable &#8220;the rapid rollout&#8221; of advancements to its digital experience for customers and BlueCruise advanced driver assistance system, with a &#8220;scalable path&#8221; toward a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2026\/01\/07\/ford-eyes-off-driving-ev-2028.html\">2028 Ford goal<\/a> to achieve eyes-off driving.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re on the eve of the biggest change the company has seen, which is delivering all this new software and hardware and products and services in &#8217;27 through &#8217;29 that will get us not only to that 8% margin, but transform the company,&#8221; Farley said. &#8220;This is the team that&#8217;s going to deliver this.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"ArticleBody-subtitle\"><a id=\"headline1\"\/>Leadership shakeup<\/h2>\n<div class=\"group\">\n<p>There will not be a direct replacement for Field, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2021\/09\/07\/ford-hires-ex-tesla-apple-executive-doug-field-to-lead-advanced-tech.html\">whom Ford executives praised<\/a> when the automaker brought him to the company in 2021 after previous leadership positions with U.S. EV leader <span class=\"QuoteInBody-quoteNameContainer\" data-test=\"QuoteInBody\" id=\"RegularArticle-QuoteInBody-8\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/quotes\/TSLA\/\">Tesla<\/a><span class=\"QuoteInBody-inlineButton\"><span class=\"AddToWatchlistButton-watchlistContainer\" id=\"-WatchlistDropdown\" data-analytics-id=\"-WatchlistDropdown\"><button class=\"AddToWatchlistButton-watchlistButton\" aria-label=\"Add To Watchlist\" data-testid=\"dropdown-btn\"><span class=\"AddToWatchlistButton-addWatchListFromTag\"\/><\/button><\/span><\/span><\/span> and <span class=\"QuoteInBody-quoteNameContainer\" data-test=\"QuoteInBody\" id=\"RegularArticle-QuoteInBody-9\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/quotes\/AAPL\/\">Apple<\/a><span class=\"QuoteInBody-inlineButton\"><span class=\"AddToWatchlistButton-watchlistContainer\" id=\"-WatchlistDropdown\" data-analytics-id=\"-WatchlistDropdown\"><button class=\"AddToWatchlistButton-watchlistButton\" aria-label=\"Add To Watchlist\" data-testid=\"dropdown-btn\"><span class=\"AddToWatchlistButton-addWatchListFromTag\"\/><\/button><\/span><\/span><\/span>. <\/p>\n<p>Farley, who called Field&#8217;s hiring a &#8220;watershed moment&#8221; at the time, also spoke fondly of the executive  on Wednesday. He said Field was an &#8220;invaluable partner&#8221; who &#8220;has built a world-class team at Ford.&#8221; <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"Collapsible-proliveCollapsableContainer\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"256\" height=\"256\" viewbox=\"0 0 256 256\" aria-labelledby=\"title desc\" role=\"img\" focusable=\"false\" preserveaspectratio=\"xMinYMin\" class=\"Collapsible-stockChartIcon\"><title>Stock Chart Icon<\/title><desc>Stock chart icon<\/desc><g transform=\"translate(1.4065934065934016 1.4065934065934016) scale(2.81 2.81)\"><path d=\"M 87.994 0 H 69.342 c -1.787 0 -2.682 2.16 -1.418 3.424 l 5.795 5.795 l -33.82 33.82 L 28.056 31.196 l -3.174 -3.174 c -1.074 -1.074 -2.815 -1.074 -3.889 0 L 0.805 48.209 c -1.074 1.074 -1.074 2.815 0 3.889 l 3.174 3.174 c 1.074 1.074 2.815 1.074 3.889 0 l 15.069 -15.069 l 14.994 14.994 c 1.074 1.074 2.815 1.074 3.889 0 l 1.614 -1.614 c 0.083 -0.066 0.17 -0.125 0.247 -0.202 l 37.1 -37.1 l 5.795 5.795 C 87.84 23.34 90 22.445 90 20.658 V 2.006 C 90 0.898 89.102 0 87.994 0 z\" transform=\" matrix(1 0 0 1 0 0) \" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/><path d=\"M 65.626 37.8 v 49.45 c 0 1.519 1.231 2.75 2.75 2.75 h 8.782 c 1.519 0 2.75 -1.231 2.75 -2.75 V 23.518 L 65.626 37.8 z\" transform=\" matrix(1 0 0 1 0 0) \" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/><path d=\"M 47.115 56.312 V 87.25 c 0 1.519 1.231 2.75 2.75 2.75 h 8.782 c 1.519 0 2.75 -1.231 2.75 -2.75 V 42.03 L 47.115 56.312 z\" transform=\" matrix(1 0 0 1 0 0) \" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/><path d=\"M 39.876 60.503 c -1.937 0 -3.757 -0.754 -5.127 -2.124 l -6.146 -6.145 V 87.25 c 0 1.519 1.231 2.75 2.75 2.75 h 8.782 c 1.519 0 2.75 -1.231 2.75 -2.75 V 59.844 C 41.952 60.271 40.933 60.503 39.876 60.503 z\" transform=\" matrix(1 0 0 1 0 0) \" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/><path d=\"M 22.937 46.567 L 11.051 58.453 c -0.298 0.298 -0.621 0.562 -0.959 0.8 V 87.25 c 0 1.519 1.231 2.75 2.75 2.75 h 8.782 c 1.519 0 2.75 -1.231 2.75 -2.75 V 48.004 L 22.937 46.567 z\" transform=\" matrix(1 0 0 1 0 0) \" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"Collapsible-proLivePlayerCloseOrExpand\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static-redesign.cnbcfm.com\/dist\/a54b41835a8b60db28c2.svg\" class=\"Collapsible-dismissButton\" alt=\"hide content\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><iframe title=\"Auto stocks\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/appchart?symbol=F&amp;range=1Y&amp;comp=GM%2CSTLA%2CTSLA&amp;type=line&amp;embedded=true&amp;$DEVICE$=undefined\" height=\"460\" scrolling=\"no\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border:0;width:100%\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Auto stocks<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"group\">\n<p>However, many of Ford&#8217;s initiatives involving software and EVs did not perform as expected. Most notably, the automaker reported significant shortfalls in generation of software revenue and in December announced it would write down <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2025\/12\/15\/ford-ev-pullback.html\">$19.5 billion related to a pullback\u00a0in EV<\/a>s and realignment of business priorities.<\/p>\n<p>While several automakers have announced such impacts due to EVs, Ford&#8217;s write-down was much larger than its closest rival <span class=\"QuoteInBody-quoteNameContainer\" data-test=\"QuoteInBody\" id=\"RegularArticle-QuoteInBody-11\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/quotes\/GM\/\">General Motors,<\/a><span class=\"QuoteInBody-inlineButton\"><span class=\"AddToWatchlistButton-watchlistContainer\" id=\"-WatchlistDropdown\" data-analytics-id=\"-WatchlistDropdown\"><button class=\"AddToWatchlistButton-watchlistButton\" aria-label=\"Add To Watchlist\" data-testid=\"dropdown-btn\"><span class=\"AddToWatchlistButton-addWatchListFromTag\"\/><\/button><\/span><\/span><\/span> which has announced roughly $7.6 billion in such charges.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to Field leaving the company, Ford on Wednesday announced a series of other changes to its advanced vehicle development products and European manufacturing.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;With this unified organization, I believe we&#8217;re better positioned than ever to deliver high-quality vehicles, advanced digital experiences and profitable services at scale,&#8221; Galhotra said. &#8220;That&#8217;s what this is all about.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ArticleBody-googlePreferredSourceContainer\" data-module=\"GooglePreferredSource\" data-id=\"RegularArticle-GooglePreferredSource-5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2026\/04\/15\/ford-ev-leader-doug-field.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Doug Field, the chief EV, digital and design officer at Ford Motor, speaks at Louisville Assembly Plant as Ford shares its plans to design and assemble&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":51750,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=51749"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51749\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/51750"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=51749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=51749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=51749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}