Ford Shuffles Execs, Finds New AV Boss

by Steph Willems

Published: November 7th, 2019

The cutting edge of new technology will be guided by new hands at Ford. On Thursday, the automaker announced changes to its executive lineup, including the departure of Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC head Sherif Marakby and his replacement by vice president of strategy John Lawler.

Ford didn’t elaborate much on Marakby’s absence, stating that the exec, who formerly headed up Uber’s global vehicles programs, “has elected to take a personal leave from the company.”

Before taking on the CEO position of Ford AV LLC in June 2018, Marakby served a year as the automaker’s vice president in charge of autonomous vehicles and electrification. He serves as a board member at Argo AI, the upstart self-driving tech firm that receives funding from both Ford and alliance partner Volkswagen.

Marakby joined Ford in 1990.

In replacing the absent exec (effective immediately), Lawler also dons the title of vice president of mobility partnerships. He’s replaced in the strategy role by Ford Credit CEO David McClelland, whose post becomes the responsibility of Marion Harris, vice president of the company’s Mobility Business Group.

Elsewhere among the company’s upper ranks, longtime Ford exec Kim Pittel is retiring effective December 1st. Pittel, vice president in charge of sustainability, environment and safety engineering, joined the company 34 years ago. Before being tapped to lower the automaker’s emissions in January 2015, Pittel was involved in the development and launch of several products, among them the Mustang, Escape, Focus, Fusion, and Lincoln MKZ. In 2010, she moved from an engineering role to a quality control one, later overseeing the automaker’s suppliers.

Taking over for the departing Pittel is Bob Holycross, who worked under Pittell as global director for sustainability, homologation and compliance.

“There are always mixed emotions when wonderful people wrap up their Ford careers,” said Ford CEO Jim Hackett in a statement. “It’s tough to say goodbye to leaders who achieved so much for the company, but it’s great to see our other talented team members have an opportunity to apply their expertise in new ways – especially during such an exciting time of growth and transformation at Ford.”

We now await to see if Marakby returns to the company he’s vacated once before.

[Image: Ford]

#Autonomous #BobHolycross #ExecutiveShuffle #Executives #Ford #FordAVLLC #JohnLawler #KimPittel #SherifMarakby

Steph Willems

More by Steph Willems

Comments

Join the conversation

2 of 9 comments

ToolGuy on Nov 07, 2019

"...such an exciting time of growth and transformation at Ford" Never what you want to read as an employee. Translation: "Upheaval and confusion."

Like Reply
ToolGuy on Nov 07, 2019

Ford Autonomous Vehicles: Replacing the technical-background person with the general-business-background person could indicate that things are progressing well and ready to be monetized. But at this point it likely means something else.

Like Reply

Recent Comments

SCE to AUX All that lift makes for an easy rollover of your $70k truck.
SCE to AUX My son cross-shopped the RAV4 and Model Y, then bought the Y. To their surprise, they hated the RAV4.
SCE to AUX I'm already driving the cheap EV (19 Ioniq EV).$30k MSRP in late 2018, $23k after subsidy at lease (no tax hassle)$549/year insurance$40 in electricity to drive 1000 miles/month66k miles, no range lossAffordable 16" tiresVirtually no maintenance expensesHyundai (for example) has dramatically cut prices on their EVs, so you can get a 361-mile Ioniq 6 in the high 30s right now.But ask me if I'd go to the Subaru brand if one was affordable, and the answer is no.
David Murilee Martin, These Toyota Vans were absolute garbage. As the labor even basic service cost 400% as much as servicing a VW Vanagon or American minivan. A skilled Toyota tech would take about 2.5 hours just to change the air cleaner. Also they also broke often, as they overheated and warped the engine and boiled the automatic transmission...
Marcr My wife and I mostly work from home (or use public transit), the kid is grown, and we no longer do road trips of more than 150 miles or so. Our one car mostly gets used for local errands and the occasional airport pickup. The first non-Tesla, non-Mini, non-Fiat, non-Kia/Hyundai, non-GM (I do have my biases) small fun-to-drive hatchback EV with 200+ mile range, instrument display behind the wheel where it belongs and actual knobs for oft-used functions for under $35K will get our money. What we really want is a proper 21st century equivalent of the original Honda Civic. The Volvo EX30 is close and may end up being the compromise choice.