In a move that further reinforced the growing stature of Indian-origin professionals across corporate America, Ford announced the appointment of Punjab-born Kumar Galhotra as its global president of non-electric automobile business which clocks annual revenues of over $100 billion.
According to their media release, Ford announced Kumar Galhotra as president, Ford Blue, effective March 2, 2022. He reports to Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO.
Prior to this role, Kumar Galhotra was president, Americas & International Markets Group, Ford Motor Company. In this role, Galhotra was responsible for the profit and loss of its business units.
Galhotra also formerly served as president, North America, leading all aspects of Ford’s North American business, a position he was named to in 2018. In that position, Galhotra was responsible for leading the North America business to new levels of operational fitness and profitability.
Previously, Galhotra was group vice president, Lincoln and chief marketing officer for Ford Motor Company, a position he was named to in 2017.
Galhotra was born in December 1965 and grew up in India before moving to the US where he completed his degree in bachelor’s of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan.
Since joining the company in 1988, he has served in various positions in product development and product strategy. Among the assignments, he led the introduction of the Ford Ranger into South American markets in 1998; was the chief engineer for the Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner in the early 2000s; and was vehicle programs director for five vehicle lines in the mid-2000s. In addition, his team oversaw the development of the all-new global compact pickup truck, the Ford Ranger.
Ford Motor Co. is reorganising its operations to create two separate divisions—one for its conventional gas-engine business and another to focus on developing electric vehicles and software.
Ford said Wednesday that it plans to keep both operations in-house with separate names and their own leadership structures and profit-and-loss statements. Eventually, the auto maker intends to break out separate statements for the two divisions. The changes are being made immediately, Ford said.
The reorganisation plans follow speculation among investors and media over whether Ford could spin off its electric-vehicle operations as a way to unlock value.
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