Jim Farley is 2022 Motor Trend Person of the Year

[rperez817]

1 hour ago, FordBuyer said:

I guess it shows how important an exceptional CEO is. Ford has had two in the last 25 years or so. 

 

I presume you are referring to the 2 Motor Trend Person of the Year/Top Ranked Power List people from Ford, Jim Farley and Alan Mulally. They are or were exceptional Ford CEOs. But not the only ones in the past 25 years. Jim Hackett and Jacques Nasser were also exceptional.

Edited December 20, 2021 by rperez817

[92merc]

I don't agree Nasser was exceptional.  He pushed hard on the PAG group.  That was a money pit.  If 1/4 of that money would have gone to Ford/Lincoln, FOMOCO would have been much better off.

[rperez817]

34 minutes ago, 92merc said:

I don't agree Nasser was exceptional.  He pushed hard on the PAG group.  That was a money pit.  If 1/4 of that money would have gone to Ford/Lincoln, FOMOCO would have been much better off.

 

I agree with you 92merc that PAG was one of Nasser's mistakes. However, a few of Nasser's achievements are exceptional.

1. Got Ford into the mindset of a "consumer products and services company" rather than an automaker only
2. Made Ford the most profitable automaker in the world (1999)
3. Established HR policy to get rid of the worst 10% of Ford managers

Edited December 20, 2021 by rperez817

[justins]

On 12/21/2021 at 4:37 AM, 92merc said:

I don't agree Nasser was exceptional.  He pushed hard on the PAG group.  That was a money pit.  If 1/4 of that money would have gone to Ford/Lincoln, FOMOCO would have been much better off.

You only have to look at VW group to see the potential in the PAG plan. It was poorly executed, and the potential synergies never realised, but it wasn't a bad plan. 

[FordBuyer]

On 12/20/2021 at 12:37 PM, 92merc said:

I don't agree Nasser was exceptional.  He pushed hard on the PAG group.  That was a money pit.  If 1/4 of that money would have gone to Ford/Lincoln, FOMOCO would have been much better off.

 

Wasn't Nasser fired by Ford? Not a good ending. Not sure what Nasser did after firing, but don't think he ever became a CEO of auto company again. Much like Fields who headed an Equity Fund and now CEO of Hertz. Only Iacoca did well after Ford firing rescuing Chrysler.

 

And even some Ford CEOs who saved Ford like the Deuce with 1948 Ford didn't seem to do that well as the years passed. Can't forget the Edsel.

 

Some CEOs are turnaround gurus, but long term wear out their welcome. Too early to know yet if that will happen to Farley. So far so good, but will know more in the next 5 years as BEVs gain market share. Where Mulally dropped the ball was grooming a successor that could keep it going long term. 

[FordBuyer]

12 minutes ago, FordBuyer said:

 

Wasn't Nasser fired by Ford? Not a good ending. Not sure what Nasser did after firing, but don't think he ever became a CEO of auto company again. Much like Fields who headed an Equity Fund and now CEO of Hertz. Only Iacoca did well after Ford firing rescuing Chrysler.

 

And even some Ford CEOs who saved Ford like the Deuce with 1948 Ford didn't seem to do that well as the years passed. Can't forget the Edsel.

 

Some CEOs are turnaround gurus, but long term wear out their welcome. Too early to know yet if that will happen to Farley. So far so good, but will know more in the next 5 years as BEVs gain market share. Where Mulally dropped the ball was grooming a successor that could keep it going long term. 

 

Now I know Mulally hired Farley away from Toyota, but I would think Mulally had the the power and influence to pick his successor, and keep the company on the right track. Obviously, Fields wasn't the right choice. 

[ice-capades]

41 minutes ago, FordBuyer said:

 

Now I know Mulally hired Farley away from Toyota, but I would think Mulally had the the power and influence to pick his successor, and keep the company on the right track. Obviously, Fields wasn't the right choice. 

 

Mulally did groom Mark Fields as his successor. The problem was that Fields then threw out the playbook with everything Mulally had developed as a plan going forward. 

[jpd80]

7 hours ago, ice-capades said:

 

Mulally did groom Mark Fields as his successor. The problem was that Fields then threw out the playbook with everything Mulally had developed as a plan going forward. 

Correct, Fields was a true chameleon changing his actions to suit the new regime.