BREAKING: Ford CEO Jim Hackett to Retire; Farley Tapped As New Boss

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

A bombshell just landed from Ford, as the automaker announced the impending retirement of CEO Jim Hackett and his replacement by Chief Operating Officer Jim Farley, effective October 1st.

Ford said Tuesday that Hackett, 65, whose tenure has been the subject of much speculation and criticism as the company navigates wildly turbulent waters, “elected” to retire. He replaced the ousted Mark Fields in 2017. In his place rises Farley, who also joins the company’s board of directors.

The company said the two men will “work together on a smooth leadership transition over the next two months.”

Hackett’s time as CEO came as Ford attempted to navigate a rapidly changing landscape, one where autonomous vehicles and electric vehicles are widely seen as the future of transportation. On that front, Ford made big strides, creating a division (Ford Autonomous Vehicles, LLC) aimed at AV advancement. The results of its electric car efforts can be seen in the upcoming Mustang Mach-E SUV, which heralds a slew of electric models from the company.

In the mainstream, last year’s Ford Explorer/Lincoln Aviator stumbles have been superseded in the public’s mind by the debut of the next-generation F-150 and reborn Bronco family, the latter being arguably the year’s biggest industry reveal.

“I am very grateful to Jim Hackett for all he has done to modernize Ford and prepare us to compete and win in the future,” said executive chairman Bill Ford. “Our new product vision – led by the Mustang Mach-E, new F-150 and Bronco family – is taking shape. We now have compelling plans for electric and autonomous vehicles, as well as full vehicle connectivity. And we are becoming much more nimble, which was apparent when we quickly mobilized to make life-saving equipment at the outset of the pandemic.”

Hackett’s top lieutenant appeared primed for the top job, especially after the ouster of automotive head Joe Hinrichs back in February. Roles and titles in the company’s upper echelon changed rapidly over the last few years, with Hackett seeking to streamline operations, placing an emphasis on speed, nimbleness, and efficiency. Still, all of these changes were unable to budge the automaker’s stock price, which continued the steady slide seen during the Fields years.

As shares declined, many industry watchers offered up the prediction that Hackett’s tenure would not be a long one. Hackett apparently didn’t see it that way, claiming in late February that his close relationship with Bill Ford ensured that he wasn’t headed for the door. We don’t know what transpired in Dearborn this week. It’s possible that, with the recent product debuts, the time was just right to leave on a high note. Hackett suggests as much.

In this changing of the guard, Bill Ford says he sees the right stuff in Farley.

“Jim Farley matches an innate feel for cars and customers with great instincts for the future and the new technologies that are changing our industry,” Ford said. “Jim’s passion for great vehicles and his intense drive for results are well known, and I have also seen him develop into a transformational leader with the determination and foresight to help Ford thrive into the future.”

Hackett won’t disappear entirely after October 1st, a move that points to an amicable departure. He’ll serve as special advisor to Ford through March of next year.

“My goal when I took on the CEO role was to prepare Ford to win in the future,” Hackett said. “The hardest thing for a proud, long-lived company to do is change to meet the challenges of the world it’s entering rather than the world it has known. I’m very proud of how far we have come in creating a modern Ford and I am very optimistic about the future.”

For Farley, he offered the following praise:

“I have worked side-by-side with Jim Farley for the past three years and have the greatest confidence in him as a person and a leader,” he said. “He has been instrumental in crafting our new product portfolio and redesigning our businesses around the world. He is also a change agent with a deep understanding of how to lead Ford in this new era defined by smart vehicles in a smart world.”

Farley, 58, jumped ship from Toyota to Ford back in 2007. Stating that he’s “honored by the opportunity,” Farley said Hackett “laid the foundation for a really vibrant future” for the automaker.

[Images: Ford]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • 28-Cars-Later 28-Cars-Later on Aug 04, 2020

    Smart man, bail while you can and avoid being the fall guy.

  • Jerome10 Jerome10 on Aug 04, 2020

    I don't know if Farley is the right guy. I'm skeptical. However, I do know....Hackett was NOT the right guy, never was, never was gonna be. I actually still don't know why Fields was let go. He wasn't even given 3 years? He had always seemed like a competent auto executive from what I had seen. Wasn't even around long enough to get through 1 model launch probably. Unless his job was also just to pump the stock price? Sometimes I think America is losing its mind. We used to do what worked, now I swear we are doing what feels good and financializing absolutely everything we can. The stock doesn't reflect the operation. Instead the stock becomes the operation.

    • See 1 previous
    • EBFlex EBFlex on Aug 05, 2020

      Fields was let go because he accomplished what the ford family wanted him to accomplish....be the fall guy for all of Mulallys mistakes. Fields realized what was coming and tried to position Ford to weather the storm of bad PR and very expensive recalls. When the Ford family was done with Fields, they brought in Hackjob and he went the complete other direction. Fields is also Jewish so that may have played a role in why the Ford family got rid of him

  • Jalop1991 The intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged due to suspected improper assembly by the supplier. Over time, partial engagement can cause damage to the intermediate shaft splines. Damaged shaft splines may result in unintended vehicle movement while in Park if the parking brake is not engagedGee, my Chrysler van automatically engages the parking brake when we put it in Park. Do you mean to tell me that the idjits at Kia, and the idjit buyers, couldn't figure out wanting this in THEIR MOST EXPENSIVE VEHICLE????
  • Dukeisduke I've been waiting to see if they were going to do something special for the 60th Anniversary. I was four years old when the Mustang was introduced. I can remember that one of our neighbors bought a '65 coupe (they were all titled as '65 models, even the '64-1/2 cars), and it's the first one I can remember seeing. In the '90s I knew an older gentleman that owned a '64-1/2 model coupe with the 260 V8.
  • SCE to AUX "...the complete Mustang model lineup to peruse"Will the fake Mustang show up, too?
  • SCE to AUX We don't need no stinking badges.
  • SCE to AUX I've never been teased by a bumper like that one before.
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