A new Ford family member is joining the company, another is shifting to a different role, and a former Toyota executive is coming onboard to head up marketing for the Blue Oval.
Ford Motor Co. on Tuesday announced that William Clay “Will” Ford III, son of the automaker’s executive chair, will join the company as general manager of Ford Performance, the automaker’s motorsport and racing division. Meanwhile, Elena Ford, Ford’s chief customer experience officer, was named chief dealer engagement officer, a role in which she will work with Ford’s 10,000 dealers around the world. And Lisa Materazzo, formerly Toyota’s top marketing executive in North America, was tapped to serve as Ford’s global chief marketing officer.
Will Ford, a fifth-generation member of the company’s founding family, is a Princeton University graduate and has a master of business administration from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He spent 10 years as a venture capital investor and entrepreneur, “working at the intersection of automotive corporations and early-stage mobility startups,” according to a news release.
He will step into the role at Ford Performance later this month, reporting to global director Mark Rushbrook. Will Ford will be tasked with building out Ford Performance as a business and lifestyle brand. He joins at a significant time for Ford Performance, as it launches a Formula 1 comeback with Red Bull Racing after a more than 20-year hiatus and prepares to compete at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race next year. Ford also has been expanding its performance-focused vehicles for retail customers with additions like the Mustang Dark Horse and the F-150 Raptor R.
“We have the best high-performance product lineup and the most exciting motorsport schedule that I have seen in my lifetime, with more to come,” Will Ford said in a statement. “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.”
Elena Ford, the granddaughter of Henry Ford II, has worked at Ford since 1995, serving in various marketing, brand strategy and business management roles, according to the company. She has previously served as vice president of customer experience and global dealer, and director of global marketing, sales and service, among other roles.
In her new role, effective Tuesday, as chief dealer engagement officer, she’ll report to Ford Blue President Kumar Galhotra. She’ll work with dealers “to help effect their collective transformation into a competitive differentiator for the company,” according to a news release.
“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,” Elena Ford said in a statement. “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.”
Materazzo has a marketing and finance degree, as well as an MBA, from Binghampton University, according to her LinkedIn. She spent a decade at Toyota in roles including senior product planner and national marketing and communications manager for Scion. She left the global automaker for several years and took on other positions, including at AOL Advertising, before coming back to Toyota North America in 2014. She went on to become vice president of marketing for Lexus before taking on Toyota North America’s top marketing role.
At Ford, she reports to CEO Jim Farley. She will lead advanced product planning and marketing across Ford Blue, Ford Model e and Ford Pro, as well as overseeing marketing for Lincoln and Ford Performance.
Ford’s previous chief marketing officer left the company at the end of last year.
“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,” Materazzo, a self-described motorsports enthusiast, said in a statement. “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 experience that create brand advocates for life.”
jgrzelewski@detroitnews.com