Ford has named Jim Baumbick as its first dedicated European boss in three years, as part of a wide-reaching strategy to optimise its business in the region.
Ford of Europe hasn't had an official leader since the departure of former president Stuart Rowley in December 2022.
Rowley was indirectly replaced by Martin Sander, who was chairman of the Model E electrification division and general manager for passenger cars, but Sander left after just 18 months to return to previous employer Volkswagen.
Now Ford is filling the position once again with a long-serving member of its product development team, as it aims to “develop products relevant for European customers and drive faster, more efficient execution".
Baumbick joined Ford in 1993 and has served in various high-ranking engineering and development roles globally, including as global head of product development.
He has primarily been based at the American company’s Michigan headquarters but did spend a couple of years in Germany managing Ford’s crucial European C-segment models, the Focus and Kuga.
In his new role, starting on 1 November, Baumbick will report to Ford vice-chairman John Lawler, rather than directly to CEO Jim Farley, as Rowley had done.
Baumbick arrives in Europe at a crucial period in Ford’s electrification programme. The firm stopped building the hugely popular Fiesta supermini so it could produce the Capri and Explorer EVs at its Cologne factory, but it recently announced it was cutting 1000 jobs at the site because slow EV uptake in Europe had it running well below capacity.
He also arrives in the same month as Ford is due to wind up production of the Focus after nearly three decades and close its second German factory in Saarlouis.
Autocar understands that a new electric C-segment model will enter production alongside the Kuga in Valencia in 2027 as an indirect Focus replacement.
Baumbick’s remit means he will be charged with making sure that it and any other future models are precisely tailored to meet market demands and rebuild Ford’s market share in Europe.
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