Ford Names COO for Europe, Global Chiefs

By David Bailey

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) on Friday named a chief operating officer for its increasingly important European operations and named five officers to global posts as part of Chief Executive Alan Mulally's bid to unify and simplify its reporting structure.

None of the changes resulted in firings or demotions among Ford's leadership, and the promotions to group vice president for the officers did not come with base pay increases. All of the managers already reported directly to Mulally.

The CEO, who joined Ford in 2006 from Boeing Co (BA.N), has made it a priority to centralize key areas of decision making at the struggling No. 2 U.S. automaker as a way to slash vehicle development costs.

Mulally has said that Ford had been run almost as separate auto companies, split by region, and has taken to signing his e-mails to staff with the slogan "One Ford."

Ford said it made the promotions to group vice president, effective April 1, to reduce management layers and provide "clarity" in its senior-level structure for officers who hold global roles.

New group vice presidents include Tony Brown, previously senior vice president of global purchasing; Sue Cischke, previously senior vice president of sustainability, environment and safety engineering; Bennie Fowler, previously vice president of quality; David Leitch, previously senior vice president and general counsel; and Nick Smither, previously vice president and chief information officer.

Ford added to its executive ranks in Europe, promoting Stephen Odell to chief operating officer of Ford in Europe, effective April 1. He will lead the region in developing global vehicle programs such as the Fiesta.

Odell will report to John Fleming, Ford Europe's president and chief executive, and take control of product development, manufacturing, purchasing and sales in the region.