FORD Motor Company has promoted Ford family members Elena Ford to the position of chief dealer engagement officer, and William Clay “Will” Ford III as general manager of Ford Performance.

Ms Elena Ford, who is promoted from her position as chief customer experience officer, is the first female Ford family member to hold an executive position in the company.

She is the daughter of Charlotte Ford and grand-daughter of Henry Ford II.

In her new role, she will work closely with Ford’s 10,000 dealers worldwide to accelerate their transformation into a competitive differentiator across Ford’s global businesses.

Ms Ford and dealers around the globe will collaborate to increase the consistency and efficiency of Ford’s global dealer council’s governance, improve retail facilities, modernise training and development, become more diverse, further raise community engagement, and amplify best practices.

In a statement, Ms Ford said: “I have worked hand-in-hand with dealers throughout my career and I am excited to now partner with our 10,000 dealers globally to make our retail network a competitive advantage for Ford.

“Our dealers are the face of Ford with millions of customers, and part of the fabric of communities around the world. We can build on that strength through better training, deeper engagement and more diversity.”

Fifth-generation Ford family member and the son of Ford executive chair Bill Ford, Will Ford becomes general manager of Ford Performance, which the car-maker is expanding in terms of both performance-oriented road cars and motorsports-related businesses, as well as brand-building initiatives around the world.

His role will be to build Ford Performance as a business and lifestyle brand, working closely with product development, marketing, dealers, merchandising and other Ford teams.

Ford is entering one of the most ambitious periods for performance and motorsports in its 120-year history – from joining Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing, to competing at Le Mans next year with Mustang, to starting a new Mustang racing series.

At the same time, the company is developing an unprecedented line-up of performance cars and trucks, such as the Mustang GTD, Mustang Dark Horse and F-150 Raptor R.

Will Ford said: “Nothing matters more to me than Ford’s reputation and brand, and Ford Performance is in a unique position to grow the passion for our brand throughout the world.

“We have the best high-performance product line-up and the most exciting motorsport schedule that I have seen in my lifetime, with more to come. I’m excited by the opportunity to use Ford Performance to create new ways for our customers and fans to experience and love our brand, whether or not they own one of our vehicles.”

Will Ford graduated from Princeton University and received his MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He spent a decade working at the intersection of automotive corporations and early-stage mobility startups as a venture capital investor and entrepreneur.

Ford has also appointed Lisa Materazzo, a 20-year veteran of Toyota who also held key leadership roles at Lexus and Scion, as its new global chief marketing officer reporting directly to Ford CEO Jim Farley.

She will lead advanced product planning and all marketing activities globally across Ford Blue, Ford Model e and Ford Pro, as well as oversee Ford Performance and luxury brand Lincoln.

Ms Materazzo said: “The automotive industry is going through a sea change with the electric and software transition, and the more I looked at the bold bets Ford is making on the future, the more I wanted to be part of this mission.

“Great marketing can supercharge the Ford+ plan because we have the opportunity to win the hearts and minds of customers with seamlessly connected product, service, and ownership experiences that create brand advocates for life.”

Materazzo’s lifelong passion for the auto industry and motorsports traces back to growing up in Upstate New York in the shadow of the famed Watkins Glen racetrack. She learned to drive in a 1981 Ford Mustang Cobra.

“I grew up in a family of auto enthusiasts and have dedicated my career to automotive. I’m a huge motorsports enthusiast. My idea of a vacation is going to F1 races around the world,” Ms Materazzo said.

“I feel incredibly blessed to be joining this iconic company at a time when it’s making bold bets on the future – from the three new divisions of the company to the audacious performance and motorsports plan.

“I am especially excited to work with Lincoln president Dianne Craig and the whole Lincoln team to reinvigorate this iconic and powerful brand.”

By Neil Dowling