Mark Fields, head of Ford Europe, has to decide today if Land Rover’s Solihull site has what it takes to become as efficient as Ford’s other plants or whether it should be scrapped.
Mr Fields, 43, an American, joined Ford in 1989 after studying at Rutgers University and Harvard Business School. He earned a reputation as a turnaround specialist as managing director of Ford Argentina during the emerging markets crisis of 1997 and in 2000 became president and chief executive of Mazda, in which Ford is the controlling shareholder. In 2002 he won the “dream job” of chairman and chief executive of Ford’s Premier Automotive Group, which includes Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo.
On his restructuring plans, Mr Fields said last year: “I express this as one plus one equals three. We have to amount to more than the sum of our parts.” In the luxury end of the business, he says, Ford is not just selling cars, but selling a lifestyle. The youngest of three executive vice-presidents at Ford, Mr Fields is seen as a future candidate for chief executive.”