Chris Preuss begins his role as executive vice president, global public affairs & marketing communications, in April 2018 at WPP.
(Photo: WPP)
Chris Preuss, a veteran automotive communications professional, has been hired to return to his role coordinating Ford’s public relations agency network with press affairs.
“I was eager to return to where my heart has always been,” Preuss, 52, said Thursday.
He is the son of Paul Preuss, a former Detroit sportswriter who went on to become a product public relations legend at Ford in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. Paul Preuss died of lung cancer in 1993 despite never smoking. To this day, Ford executives mistakenly refer to Chris by his father’s name.
“I grew up only wanting to work at Ford PR,” Chris Preuss said. “I ended up working at Chrysler and GM and was finally able to get to Ford. My father covered the racing and Ford product. I can remember him coming home with new Mustangs. It was always my passion to follow in his footsteps.”
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Preuss is a known bicycling fanatic who rides all over the world. He lived in Zurich and cycled all over Europe in 2007 and 2008. He cycled around the Netherlands in September 2017. He rides a Colnago road bike and has been known to commute the 23 miles from Northville to Dearborn along Hines Drive.
When he’s not on a bicycle, Preuss drives a 2018 Lincoln MKZ.
“It has 400 horsepower. The thing hauls,” he said. “My wife drives a Lincoln MKX. And each of the kids drive a Ford Focus at college.”
He will begin in April as executive vice president, global public affairs and marketing communications, serving as the account leader for several of the WPP Group PR agencies taking care of Ford Communications globally. WPP is based in London and is the world’s largest advertising and PR conglomerate.
Preuss, a 25-year strategist, will be based in Dearborn and lead the multiagency team that collaborates with Ford communications, which is led by Mark Truby.
“We’re very excited to have him back,” Truby said.
Preuss worked with Ford through WPP/GTB (Global Team Blue) from 2011 through 2013 and then went to work directly for Ford for a year before heading over to Delphi Automotive.
“I had the opportunity to learn and experience some great things while helping to transform Delphi into Aptiv,” he said. “Ford and WPP have a long and storied history together and I’m honored to be part of this next chapter at an exciting time for the business.”
Preuss left his role last month as senior vice president of marketing and communications for Aptiv.
Preuss’ career includes more than a decade of experience at General Motors, where he held various leadership roles, including president and CEO of OnStar, GM’s in-vehicle safety and security unit. In 1991-98, he worked at Chrysler as a product public relations manager.
Toby Barlow, former chief creative officer at WPP who worked on the Ford account globally for 10 years, praised the hiring of Preuss. “He’s incredibly smart. This shows WPP is working intelligently to react to changes in the business.”
Satish Korde, chief executive officer of WPP’s GTB, said the company sought to find expertise in everything from product to public affairs, and Preuss delivers.
He replaces Gary Koops, who has supported Ford since 2007. Koops, who is also the global media practice chair for the newly merged Burson Cohn & Wolfe, will stay on as a key member of the team.
Preuss will report directly to Korde and be headquartered at GTB’s offices in Dearborn.
Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-222-6512 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid
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