Ford names Mark LaNeve to lead US Marketing, Sales and Service Team

Ford Motor Company announced the changes in its senior leadership team.

John Felice, VP - US Marketing, Sales and Service, has elected to retire after 30 years at Ford, effective February 1, 2015. Succeeding Felice is Mark LaNeve, currently Chief Operating Officer at
Global Team Ford, the global advertising and marketing agency for Ford Motor Company.

LaNeve, 55, will report jointly to Joe Hinrichs, Executive Vice-President and President of The Americas, and to Stephen Odell, Executive Vice-President, Global Marketing, Sales and Service.

"John has had a long and successful career as a key leader serving us around the world for more than 30 years," said Hinrichs. "Among his many contributions, John led the Ford brand revitalization in the US, resulting in an unprecedented improvement in customer favorability, and was a strong advocate for our dealers, ensuring their participation in our business planning process and further strengthening our relationship with them. We thank John for his many years of service and wish him all the best going forward."

Felice joined Ford in April 1984. During his tenure, he served in a variety of management positions in the Marketing, Sales and Service organization in both the US and Asia Pacific including leading US Ford and Lincoln Sales, US Ford and Lincoln Marketing, and Asia Pacific Marketing, Sales and Service. While in Asia, he also served as President of Ford Thailand.

In succeeding Felice, LaNeve will be responsible for all marketing, sales, service and dealer relations in the United States. He will be focused on continuing to grow the business by building the Ford brand with innovative new digital communications and transforming the retail experience for customers.

"We are excited to have Mark join our team as we introduce even more new products to our customers this year," said Odell. "With nearly three decades of proven experience to draw upon, Mark brings the right skills to continue building the Ford brand while creating a stronger retail experience for our customers, making it even easier for them to interact with their dealer and with Ford - and helping us profitably grow."

LaNeve comes to Ford after several years leading the company's global advertising and marketing agency, Global Team Ford, where he was chief operating officer, since August 2012. In this role, LaNeve led not only Team Detroit, which serves the Ford brand in the US, but also the agency's operations in London, Sao Paulo and Shanghai, as well as Hudson Rouge, the Lincoln agency in New York City.

LaNeve has nearly three decades of global sales and marketing experience in the automotive and insurance industries, having served in senior roles at Team Detroit, General Motors, Volvo Cars and Allstate Insurance. In these roles, he led the development and execution of innovative sales programs and the resurgence of the brands.

Posted in: Ford,Joe Hinrichs,John Felice,Mark LaNeve,New Appointment,North America,Stephen Odell,United States,Vice-President