Posted on 09/04/2006 2:32:28 PM PDT by wagglebee
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co Chief Executive Bill Ford Jr is prepared to let someone else lead the carmaker his great-grandfather founded should the right manager be available, he said in a magazine interview.
"I'm always looking to bring talent into this company. If I can find somebody -- I thought Carlos (Ghosn) was an exceptionally talented executive who could help the company -- I'll go get him. That is regardless of the position," Ford told Newsweek in an interview posted on the magazine's website.
Asked if that applied to his own job as well, Ford replied: "Absolutely."
Ford was referring to past efforts to lure Ghosn, who is chief executive of alliance partners Renault of France and Nissan Motor Co Ltd of Japan, to work for the number two U.S. carmaker, which is struggling to handle losses in North America.
Renault and Nissan are in talks with General Motors now about joining forces in a three-way alliance. They have set a deadline of mid-October to decide whether to proceed.
Asked why he had approached Ghosn about forming an alliance with Ford, Bill Ford said: "I talk to Carlos all the time, but I'm not going to comment on that."
Media reports have said Ford called Ghosn to discuss an alliance should the GM talks fail.
Bill Ford said his top priority was guiding Ford back to profit in North America -- where high fuel prices have crimped demand for Ford's sport utility vehicles and light trucks -- and not to recruit a new CEO.
"I'm not looking to replace myself. I'm looking to make sure the company is stocked with talent. But look, right now I'm focused on getting the North American operations back on track. That's where my energy and time is going. That's my passion."
He said he would always be part of the company given family ties. The Ford family has 40 percent of the voting rights.
psst!...next CEO...here's the trick...DONT MAKE CARS THAT STINK AND BREAK!!!!.....a little help for you there.
Ford needs to focus (no pun intended) on building vehicles
that people will buy and be happy with, rather than
pandering to special interest groups in ways that
antagonize other large special interest groups.
For example, if they want to offer a mini-van with a
small-block turbo-diesel, I'll pay some attention
(even though other family members want to boycott
Ford now no matter what they make).
If that were indeed true, you would have replaced yourself, because Bill.....your an idiot!
What I never understood about him getting the job was that I have always heard that Edsel II (Henry II's son) was far more intelligent and astute than his cousin.
Just looking at him in those dumb magazine ads they've been running I can tell that he's nothing special. Just an average guy. No crime to be an average guy, but put one in charge of a huge technology-leadership company and look what you get.
I've heard that too but have no personal knowledge.
Translation: Help, my company is falling apart and I have no idea how to stop it!
Their only chance is to go after the unions, even if it means no production for a while. No pension/medical reform, no future.
If he's very smart (and all indications are, he's not), he'll get out of the way fast. Ford is in free-fall.
The best outcome would be if they were purchased by Toyota. Could happen.
I'd run the company for fourteen months for far less than what he's getting.
...and I'd agree to leave for only 5% of the $140 million that what-his-face got when leaving Disney after only 14 months.
...and get this, I'd increase sales by publically dissing homosexuals: the NASCAR crowd would eat it up.
Cheers!
Ford and GM should merge, move their headquarters out of Michiganstan, buy out all union contracts, stop pandering to homosexuals, and eliminate unprofitable brands.
his family has allowed teh unions to destory it.
Ford Motor Co. Chairman and CEO Bill Ford Jr. said Monday that employees who do not believe his plan for reinventing the company is sincere should take a hike.
"Anyone who thinks or attempts to convince you that it's business as usual at Ford is wrong and would best serve us all by pursuing their interests elsewhere," Bill Ford said in an audio message e-mailed to workers Monday afternoon.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051129/AUTO01/511290350/1148
Give him more time for his zero population politics.
Hey Billy Ford, I got some advice for ya. First of all hire a 'car guy' to run the outfit. Keep the accountants and enviros in a back room where they belong.
Second, tell the new 'car guy' to make cars of quality that customers want.
Third, tell the unions how the cow ate the cabbage and the old ways will not work anymore.
Fourth, Billy, why not take a nice long, really long vacation. Bout 25 or 30 years should do.
I think his Gay lifestyle is central to his existance more so than the business his family built that made him very wealthy.
This is the number one piece of work that needs to be done at Ford.
Ford needs a real "car guy" at the top. Bill is a politically correct trust fund baby with a gay bent. I think his first action as the head of Ford was to apologize to the environmental wacko's for making the then new Ford Excursion. Worst of all, that was the top of his game.
They just hired a guy from Boeing.
They're gonna bomb Toyota and Honda.
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