Jim Farley – A Product Guy – Becomes Ford CEO

Ford Motor Company announced today that Jim Farley will be taking over as Ford CEO from Jim Hackett. Although the formal takeover is scheduled for two months from now, Farley’s clearly has had an influence in many of the new products Ford has coming down the pike. I can sense Farley’s influence in the development of the new Mustang Mach-E, the new family of Bronco vehicles, and the expansion of a revitalized Lincoln lineup.

Unlike Hackett, who came from Steelcase Furniture and had no real automotive experience, Farley came from Toyota/Lexus and is a dyed-in-the-wool car guy. This guy loves to drive, work on old cars and talk cars. A real car guy is back in charge of Ford, which should bode well for a more exciting lineup in Ford and Lincoln showrooms. I can’t wait to see what happens next…and am certain it won’t be dull.