FILE PHOTO – Newly named Ford Motor Company president and CEO James Hackett answers questions from the media during a press conference at Ford Motor World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, U.S., May 22, 2017. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook
HOUSTON (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co Executive Chairman Bill Ford said on Tuesday he is very confident in Chief Executive James Hackett’s leadership and that the automaker is considering striking supply deals with a lithium producer.
Ford, speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston, also said he was unaware of any conversations between Alphabet Inc’s Waymo self-driving vehicle unit and Volkswagen.
Media reports in recent weeks suggested Waymo was eyeing a deal with Volkswagen, which could have imperiled Ford’s partnership with the German automaker. Volkswagen Chief Executive Herbert Diess denied those reports earlier on Tuesday.
Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Marguerita Choy