Doug Field, a key figure who influenced Ford’s electric vehicle and technology strategies in recent years, is departing from the company. This departure was announced on Wednesday as part of a larger leadership reshuffle.
Field joined Ford in 2021 with a strong Silicon Valley background, having led Apple’s special projects team and been a senior vice president of engineering at Tesla. Returning to Ford, where he started his career as a development engineer from 1987 to 1993, Field was brought in to help realize CEO Jim Farley’s vision of transforming Ford into a major player in software, EVs, and advanced technology.
Reporting directly to Farley, Field initially managed the company’s integrated software and hardware operations, which included vehicle controls, connectivity, integration, driver assistance technologies, and digital tools. He was responsible for the complete tech stack in Ford and Lincoln vehicles, encompassing areas like infotainment, navigation, driver-assist technology, connected services, and vehicle cybersecurity.
Field became a prominent figure at Ford, often praised by Farley during earnings calls. He was instrumental in Ford’s decision to divide its business into three segments: the EV and digital services division, the traditional internal combustion engine business, and the commercial vehicles unit. He also led Ford’s secretive skunkworks team focused on developing a low-cost electric vehicle.
Under the Wednesday reorganization, Ford has established a “product creation and industrialization” team led by COO Kumar Galhotra. The previous electric vehicle and design team, headed by Field, will now be part of this new structure.
This revamped organization has set ambitious goals, aiming for an 8% adjusted profit margin for the Ford+ commercial business by 2029 and plans to refresh 80% of its North American product lineup by volume and 70% of its global lineup by 2029. This includes the Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform, a mid-sized pickup, and the upcoming F-150 and F-Series Super Duty trucks.
The UEV platform, which arose from Ford’s skunkworks program (now the Advanced Development Projects team), is led by Alan Clarke, a former Tesla executive, as vice president of Advanced Development Projects.