New Star at Ford Plans Radical Changes
There's an old saying in the ad agency business that goes, "it's easy to find the employees entrance… just look for the swinging door." The same might be said about Ford's executive suites in Dearborn. Lately they've been coming and going like commuters at Grand Central Station as Bill Ford tries to shake up the troops and get the grand old company back on its feet.
The most recent arrival is the new President, America's Division, Mark Fields. Profiled in an enlightening Detroit News article, Fields is a man in a hurry. He has to be. "The worst action is inaction, and the market and our competitors are not waiting one moment for us," wrote Fields in a recent staff memo.
The 44-year-old Fields arrives with a good track record. Promoted to CEO of Mazda at a mere 38 (unheard of in Japan) he ripped into the faltering automaker with total disregard for tradition. "Change or die" became Fields' motto as he attacked Mazda's venerable corporate structure. The results speak for themselves. The Mazda 3 is universally regarded as one of the best small cars. The Mazda 6 platform underpins Ford's excellent new sedan trio, the Fusion, Milan, and Zephyr, as well as some European brands. The RX-8 marked a bold comeback for Mazda's rotary-engine sports car. And Mazda makes a profit.
His plan is to push "bold designs that are unmistakably American while developing a new generation of small cars and environmentally friendly vehicles." Not even a mention of SUV's, thank goodness. Following Mazda he became chairman of Ford's Premier Automotive Group, which includes Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo, and soon took on responsibility for Ford of Europe. For a guy who plans radical changes in America, what better place to seek inspiration?
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