Not long ago, some within Ford were making headlines by complaining that CEO Jim Hackett hadn’t cast a clear enough vision of the future he saw for the automaker — a clear contrast to former CEO Alan Mulally, whose One Ford plan carried the company for nearly a decade beginning in the midst of the Great Recession.
But now, two years into his tenure, Hackett’s road map is becoming clearer. And now some of the same folks inside his company aren’t liking what is coming into focus.
That’s because Ford just announced it is cutting 7,000 salaried employees, or about 10 percent of its white-collar work force worldwide, as part of Hackett’s broader plan to impose “financial fitness” on the company and jack its profit margins back up to the levels being enjoyed by cross-town rivals General Motors and Fiat Chrysler.
The cuts are expected to save about $600 million annually as part of Hackett’s broader, longer-term restructuring that calls for billions of dollars more in cost reductions and a total of $11 billion in charges. The reductions will include 800 layoffs in North America, where Ford already has executed about 1,500 voluntary buyouts. Ford had a total global work force of nearly 200,000 people last year.
The strategy in part reflects Hackett’s decision to phase Ford out of the sedan business in North America. In doing so, Ford has been moving more slowly than Fiat Chrysler, which stopped making sedans in the U.S. a couple of years ago, and GM, which has been scrapping most of its sedan fleet this year as well as closing some plants.
In the meantime, like its rivals, Ford has been upping its bets on the continuation of the industry’s new era in the U.S. in which purchases of pickup trucks, sport-utility vehicles and crossovers have surged to about two-thirds of the market, about twice the proportion of less than ten years ago.
While its F-150 trucks, America’s best-selling nameplate, continue to hold down the high-profit full-size truck segment for Ford, the company also will soon be introducing a couple of vehicles that should help it gain some share: an all-new resuscitation of the Ranger mid-size truck nameplate, and an all-new revival of its Bronco SUV franchise. Meanwhile, Ford has been substantially overhauling important existing properties in its light-truck lineup including the Ford Explorer SUV.
The financial and product-line restructurings Ford’s moves also are expected to free up more financial resources for Hackett to bring Ford closer to its goal of being able to afford its huge technology bets on electric, connected and autonomous vehicles.
Read more: Good Results, New Alliances, Promising Launches Clear Some Clouds for Ford CEO Hackett
Chief Executive Group exists to improve the performance of U.S. CEOs, senior executives and public-company directors, helping you grow your companies, build your communities and strengthen society. Learn more at chiefexecutivegroup.com.
0
1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
