Ford Appoints Schoch Chairman and CEO, Ford China; Kent Named Controller, The Americas

DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

• Ford names David Schoch, controller, The Americas, to the role of chairman and CEO of Ford Motor China, effective Nov. 1

• Ford names K.R. Kent, executive director of Investor Relations, to the role of controller, The Americas, effective Nov. 1

• Ford names George Sharp, director of Investor Relations, to the role of executive director, Investor Relations, effective Nov. 1

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F)  today elected David L. Schoch, controller, The Americas, as a company officer and named him to the role of chairman and CEO, Ford Motor China, effective Nov. 1.

In his new role, Schoch, 60, will assume direct responsibility for the operations and business leadership of Ford Motor China.  He will report to Joe Hinrichs, group vice president and president, Asia Pacific and Africa.

"We have put in place aggressive expansion plans for Ford in China," said Joe Hinrichs, group vice president and president, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa.  "As Ford China enters into a phase of accelerated growth, Dave, with his unique combination of skills and experience, is well suited to lead Ford China and take our expansion plans to the next level, including bringing four new plants on line and launching 15 new vehicles by 2015.  Dave's appointment greatly strengthens our leadership team in China and demonstrates Ford's continued strong commitment to China, a key driver of Ford's global growth in the next 10 years and beyond."

Since joining Ford as a financial analyst in 1977, Schoch has held a variety of leadership positions including executive director, Ford Canada, Mexico and South America Operations. He also served as chief financial officer and vice president of Strategic Planning for Ford of Europe and chief financial officer of Ford Asia-Pacific Operations.

Schoch holds a bachelor's degree in Business from Lycoming College and an MBA in Finance from Temple University.

Replacing Schoch as controller of The Americas is K.R. Kent, currently executive director of Investor Relations.  As senior finance leader for all of The Americas, Kent, 48, will report to Mark Fields, executive vice president, Ford Motor Company, and president, The Americas.

"K.R. brings a wealth of experience to The Americas, including insights and lessons learned during international assignments," Fields said. "He has been a great partner as leader of our Investor Relations team, and now we look forward to K.R. assuming a central role within The Americas."

Kent, who holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Indiana University and a master's degree in Finance from Ohio State University, joined Ford in 1987. Throughout his career, he has held a variety of finance positions, including chief financial officer, Ford Motor Credit Company; controller, Product Development, Ford of Europe; and assistant treasurer, Ford Motor Company.

George Sharp, 61, currently director of Investor Relations, will lead Ford's effort to further strengthen the investor relations function and deepen Ford's and Ford Credit's engagement with the investment community in the equity and fixed income arenas. Sharp will report to Ford Vice President and Treasurer Neil Schloss. The appointment is effective Nov. 1.

"George brings experience and knowledge about Ford, the automotive and financial services industry and the capital markets," said Neil Schloss, Ford vice president and treasurer.

Sharp joined Ford in 1976 and has served in several roles within the global Finance organization, including vice president of Finance for Ford of Canada, controller for Product Strategy, competitive analysis manager and director of Corporate Financial Analysis.  He holds a bachelor's degree in Economics from Pennsylvania State University and a master's degree in Finance from the University of Pennsylvania.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com

SOURCE Ford Motor Company