Ford EV and technology chief leaves automaker

Doug Field, a prominent executive who has shaped Ford’s electric vehicle (EV) and technology strategy over the past five years, is leaving the company. Mr. Field’s departure was announced Wednesday as part of a broader reorganization of the company’s management team.

Field joined Ford in 2021 with a solid resume from Silicon Valley, having led a special projects team at Apple and served as senior vice president of engineering at Tesla. His hiring was more than just a return to his professional roots. (Field began his career as a development engineer at Ford from 1987 to 1993.) The hire was aimed at furthering Ford CEO Jim Farley’s vision of transforming the legacy automaker into a leader in software, EVs and other advanced technologies.

Mr. Field will report to Mr. Farley and will initially be tasked with overseeing the company’s embedded software and hardware operations, covering vehicle controls, enterprise connectivity, functionality, integration and validation, architecture and platforms, driver assistance technologies, and digital engineering tools. In fact, this left him responsible for the design, development, and implementation of the entire technology stack used in Ford and Lincoln vehicles, including infotainment, navigation, driver-assistance technology, connected services, and vehicle cybersecurity.

Mr. Field was a prominent figure at Ford, and Mr. Farley frequently praised him during earnings calls. He was one of the key leaders when the automaker split its business into three divisions: EV and digital services, traditional combustion engine business and commercial vehicle division. And he was behind Ford’s Skunk Works program, a secret internal team to build low-cost electric vehicles.

Under the reorganization laid out Wednesday, Ford has created what it calls a “product creation and industrialization” team led by COO Kumar Galhotra. Ford’s electric vehicle and design teams, led by Field, will be incorporated into the new organization.

The new organization has ambitious goals, including achieving an adjusted profit margin of 8% for Ford+ Commercial by 2029. The team will also oversee Ford’s plans to replace 80% of its North American portfolio by volume and 70% of its global portfolio by 2029. This includes the Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform, medium-duty pickup truck, next-generation F-150 and F-Series Super Duty trucks.

The UEV platform was developed by the Ford Skunk Works program (now known as the Advanced Development Project Team). Alan Clark, a former Tesla executive who led the Skunk Works program, is currently vice president of advanced development projects.