Ford Pro announces new leadership team

Ford Pro, the new dedicated commercial vehicle arm of Ford Motor Company, has named its leadership team.

The business was set up earlier this year to focus on vehicles, technology and services for the commercial vehicle sector.

Led by Ford Pro CEO Ted Cannis (pictured), the global leadership team represents a broad range of backgrounds and capabilities from inside and outside of Ford and the automotive industry

The leadership team is charged with making Ford Pro a one-stop shop to help customers increase uptime and productivity while reducing complexity and total cost of ownership.

Cannis said: “We’ve put together an experienced Ford Pro leadership team that is completely focused on helping commercial and government customers increase uptime and reduce ownership costs. With customer productivity as our north star, this leadership team and our employees around the world are going to change how business in the commercial vehicle space is done.”

The new Ford Pro leaders include:

• Tim Baughman, general manager, North America. Baughman joins Ford Pro after serving as Ford’s controller for US marketing, sales and service. He has more than 25 years working in a variety of global positions in finance, marketing and sales, and business strategy across Ford, Ford Credit and Volvo Cars.
• Muffi Ghadiali, head, Ford Pro charging. Ghadiali is CEO of Electriphi, a California-based provider of charging management and fleet monitoring software for electric vehicles acquired by Ford last month. Ghadiali will continue to serve in his role with Electriphi while taking on strategy development for Ford Pro Charging as well.
• Navin Kumar, chief financial officer. Kumar joins Ford Pro after six years in strategic leadership roles within Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC and Ford corporate strategy and business development teams. Prior to Ford, he was an investment banker at Guggenheim Partners in New York focused on automotive and technology mergers and acquisitions.
• Tracey Pass, chief human resources officer. Pass will lead a team focused on building a global human resources strategy for Ford Pro. Previously vice president of human resources at The Walt Disney Company, Pass brings expertise in talent acquisition, culture development and employee experience.
• Rahul Singh, chief technology officer. Singh leads the team responsible for leveraging technology from the ground to the cloud to improve uptime, total cost of ownership and performance of fleet vehicles. In his most recent position, Singh was head of software development for Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC. Prior to joining Ford, Singh was vice president of engineering at Pivotal and a partner at Xtreme Labs.
• Wanda Young, chief marketing officer. Young, a digital transformation expert and innovative brand marketer, leads a team focused on building the Ford Pro brand and generating awareness for new products and services the business will offer commercial customers. Previously chief marketing officer of Samsung Electronics America, Young has a deep understanding of the consumer mindset and the interconnectedness of brand, digital and data.

Hans Schep will continue to lead Ford’s commercial vehicles business in Europe, as general manager, Europe, a role he has held since 2016. Schep has served in a number of leadership roles in Ford product marketing, sales and aftersales, and was also managing director, Ford Netherlands. As head of Ford Pro in Europe, Schep will report into both Cannis and Stuart Rowley, president, Ford of Europe.

Ford Pro, which is implementing new services in phases, says it will integrate, digitize and simplify transportation with capabilities spanning:

• Ford Pro vehicles: Ford’s broad lineup of combustion-engine and hybrid commercial vehicles and, soon, all-electric versions of the company’s industry-leading vans and full-size pickup trucks developed for commercial use.
• Ford Pro Charging: Hardware and software solutions for public, depot and overnight home charging of electric vehicles so they’re ready to work again the next day.
• Ford Pro Intelligence: Digital services, with distinct features integrated in vehicles that enable customers to better manage and maintain their fleets.
• Ford Pro Service Elite: Expanding Ford’s strong network of commercial vehicle centers by adding 120 dedicated large-bay service hubs across the United States with extended hours and rapid turnaround, plus introducing 1,200 mobile service vehicles by 2025.
• Ford Pro FinSimple: Bundled financing for vehicles, services and electric vehicle charging.