Another CEO leaves Ford: Top Canadian exec quits
Bill Osborne, up until yesterday the President of Ford Australia, is not the only non-U.S. Ford exec taking a walk from his responsibilities at the Blue Oval. Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd head-honcho Barry Engle (above) has also chosen to leave the company on the exact same day. The coincidences don't end there, as both men took their respective positions just six months ago in February of this year. While we're not yet sure what role Osborne will be stepping into, his counterpart from Canada is headed to Pennsylvania, his home state, to join New Holland Agricultural Equipment SpA as president and CEO. New Holland is a unit of CNH Global NV -- itself controlled by Italian automaker Fiat.
As we said regarding the open position in Australia: "Ford has not announced a replacement, but the new boss will have his or her work cut out as the Australian market adjusts from its high-horsepower diet to more fuel efficient vehicles." Yeah... that's been going around.
[Source: The Globe and Mail]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
elprogramer 10:59AM (8/23/2008)
Sounds like Ford is cleaning up shop.
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mike 11:59AM (8/23/2008)
These people are looking for money that is why he left the company only 6 months after taking the new position.
This is why America is losing its edge, people leave their jobs without proving or achieving anything in the last place of employment. It takes at least 2 years to learn everything there’s to learn about your position and another 2 years to realize what you have to do to improve the processes around you.
Of course there’s a flip side, Rick Wagoner, been there for decades, hasn’t made a single good thing for a company and yet gets paid 15 mil a year.
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alex 12:23PM (8/23/2008)
i'm not going to say that rick wagoner has done a fabulous job or anything... but the malibu, cts, enclave, g8.... GM is putting out better vehicles than they have made in decades. and look at the rapid expansion overseas.
surely wagoner deserves some credit for this.
mike 12:48PM (8/23/2008)
@ Alex
Alex good point, over seas GM has expanded but as of last quarter GM lost money in Asia, made 99 mil in Europe and made A LOT of money in S. America.
S. America was great for GM, having said that those 3 are nothing compared to N. America.
Lets use this analogy, let's say you are taking a test, the test consist of 4 chapters, Chapter 1, 2, 3 make 25% of the exam and you nail all the questions, but you failed to even study chapter 4 that is 75% of the exam. What can we say about that student? Is he smart, does he know what he is doing?
One more point, you say those cars are great (Enclave, G8, Malibu) but why are they on discount? Look LAMDAS are big 8 passenger cars, probably most efficient in the class, look great, handle great ( from what I hear), affordable...................but they are on the discount because people do not buy them. It comes down to this, GM does not make cars that people want to pay a full price for. Some one needs to be held responsible, it could be Lutz, it could be they Engineers, could be Unions..................but i think that all that can be solved if a man who gets 15 million dollars a year is fired. Every time I hear Bob Lutz talk only hot air comes out, but he has at least some substance, Rick has NOTHING but excuses, more excuses and that’s about it.
elprogramer 12:08PM (8/23/2008)
^Eh? Wagoner's made great strides with General Motors. Compare their lineup with that of ten years ago, their manufacturing capability, their overhead.
Just because GM isn't in the black right now doesn't mean they're not working hard.
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mike 12:21PM (8/23/2008)
Ok everyone works hard, yet you do not see other CEOs that lose 13 bil a quarter.
By the way name ONE vehicle that GM sells that is sold above the sticker (indicating popularity).
Some of the newest offers from GM have discounts, Malibu, G8, all LAMDAs, All SUVs, even Corvette. Do you realize that GM arguable does not have a single vehicle for which dealers can charge a normal price, not a single one, every vehicle has a discount on it. I also would like to remind you that Wagoner took over North America under his direct Contol, he is the head of NA, he is directly responsible for all loses in NA.
How is this a stride? Under Wagoner the stock is down 75%.
You know what, i am wrong, and you are right, but tell me this, if GM will have another 5 quarters like they had last one and Wagoner will continue to make those strides that you speak of, will you still support him?
why not the LS2LS7? 1:15PM (8/23/2008)
That's nothing. What I find remarkable is that Toyota has been so successful, indeed rising all the way to the top; without a single vehicle that is popular (popular defined as selling above sticker).
It's astounding that there are so many cars unpopular cars sold. Apparently 99% of the population buy unpopular cars.
Franz 12:23PM (8/23/2008)
Kinda makes you wonder... it seems a bit like the proverbial rats leaving the sinking ship. Ford will never go completely belly up but you never know how much of the workforce they'll have to toss overboard to stay afloat.
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MajorGeek 1:07PM (8/23/2008)
Man working for these big companies is better then running for government office!
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Tagg 1:31PM (8/23/2008)
I think this is a result of the culture change at Ford Mullaly has been aggressively pursuing. No longer will you be able to just "put in time" at a post like Ford Australia or Canada and expect to run the show in 5 years.
It's not that the ship is sinking it's the fact that the ship is being cleaned and reorganized and the rats can't find their way.
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Alpha 2:16PM (8/23/2008)
What I don't understand is why we have to be so tightly tied to the American car models and marketing when its been proven time and time again we prefer small cars like those in Europe. But yet we get stuck with large unappealing vehicles that appeal to the USDM market. I'm willing to be even the Mexican car market preferences more closely ties in with ours then the USDM.
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why not the LS2LS7? 3:37PM (8/23/2008)
Who is we in this case? What country?
whofan 7:00AM (8/24/2008)
We say we want the European models and when Ford or GM tries to bring them over the flop in sales.
Yes we need good options in small cars with a choice of a manual transmission. We will have to see how the new Fiesta sells. The Saturn Astra isn`t doing well for GM.
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mike 9:33AM (8/24/2008)
The more a read about Astra the more i am convinced that Astra is not selling well because of the way GM executed the whole plan. It is more expensive than competition, Interior is not all that, only two trim levels, stability control is an option which costs $495 Automatic Transmission costs $1,325.
I know that maybe someone like you needs manual only, BUT most people want Automatic, and this one is too expensive and from what i read is not even all that good.
I hate to make a sexist statement here, but women only buy Autos, most young guys buy autos , that covers most potential buyers and they are scared off by its price.
David 8:18AM (8/25/2008)
I hate to say it, but I think the biggest reason why the Astra isn't selling well is it's a Saturn.
You can't make boring, ugly, extremely mediocre cars for 15 years, and then even if you suddenly change the whole line-up, expect Mr. or Mrs. Average Clueless Consumer to know that anything's changed. You know, you talk to someone about cars who isn't into them, and they see a Smart and say "what the heck is that", or "What's a MINI Cooper? Who makes that?"
They should have called it the Opel Astra and left it at that.
Furthermore, they shouldn't have b.s.'d about finally making the car "you knew America could build". LIE!
They have barely even advertised it, until now.
They should have brought over the Opel Astra Sporthatch with the unique roof.
Lastly, in many cases, GM can't win no matter what they do. Too much bad blood. Look at how long Hyundai has taken to earn our trust? GM has a LOT, LOT of mending to do in the hearts and minds of Americans. Myself included! Volt-shmolt.