Ford EV chief leaving automaker amid new restructuring efforts
Doug Field, Ford Motor’s head of EV, digital and design, speaks at the Louisville Assembly Plant as he shares Ford’s plans to design and assemble the “Universal Electric Vehicle” platform on Aug. 11, 2025.
Courtesy: Ford
DETROIT — Ford Motor‘s head of electric vehicles and software is leaving the automaker as it restructures its executives and operations.
Ford said Wednesday that EV chief and chief digital and design officer Doug Field “has chosen to leave the company following the transition next month.” A statement announcing the move spoke of a “next chapter” for Field, but the manager declined to reveal specific plans in a call with media on Wednesday.
Field’s departure was announced alongside Ford detailing a new management structure that includes the establishment of a “Product Creation and Industrialization” organization at the company to be led by Ford veteran and Chief Operating Officer Kumar Galhotra.
Ford said the new structure will integrate Field’s responsibilities with the company’s global Industrial Systems group, helping the automaker achieve certain goals under its “Ford+” business plan, such as an adjusted EBIT margin goal of 8% by 2029.
“Today is a very important moment for us at Ford, really for our next phase. It’s also an important moment for all of us as leaders,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said in a meeting with Field and Galhotra on Wednesday. “We truly believe this organizational change will help us achieve all important Ford plus goals.”
Field’s departure comes as Ford is preparing to launch a new generation of electric vehicles, which Farley said will be as important as the company’s famous Model T.
On the call with media, Farley and Field said the upcoming vehicle — a mid-size pickup built on Ford’s “Universal Electric Vehicle,” or UEV platform that debuts next year — is in a solid position to continue on the new unit without Field.
“Ford will be transformed by getting these products across the finish line. My team is prepared and ready to execute,” Field said Wednesday.
The ‘heart and soul’ of the Ford transformation
Ford on Wednesday described its new Product Creation and Industrialization unit as an “end-to-end organization” that aims to “deliver one of the most concentrated product, software and service offerings in Ford history.”
The automaker plans to replace 80% of its North American portfolio by volume and 70% of its global portfolio by volume by 2029, the company said. This includes: UEV pickup truck, next-generation F-150, and the larger F-Series Super Duty series.
This return of products will also include new powertrain offerings and software, Ford said Wednesday.
“This is really the heart and soul of our transformation over the next few years,” Farley said. “This new structure positions us to move much faster, reduce complexity within the company, and deliver these great digital experiences and tools with higher quality and efficiency.”
The company plans for 90% of its global brands to offer electric powertrains, including hybrids, extended-range electric vehicles and fully electric vehicles, by 2030. It also aims to have 90% of its vehicles by volume feature updated “electrical architectures, in-house developed user experiences and hardware, and next-generation wireless communications capabilities for continuous improvement in experiences and services.”
Ford said the new technologies, advances in the digital experience for customers and the BlueCruise advanced driver assistance system will enable “rapid rollout” of distracted driving with a “scalable path” toward the 2028 Ford goal.
“We’re on the eve of the biggest change the company has ever seen, delivering all this new software, hardware and products and services from ’27 to ’29 that will not only get us to 8% margin, but will transform the company,” Farley said. “This is the team that will make this happen.”
leadership change
There will be no direct replacement for Field. Ford executives praised him when the automaker brought him to the company in 2021 after previous leadership positions with the US electric vehicle leader Tesla’s And Apple.
Farley, who called Field’s hiring a “turning point” at the time, also spoke fondly of the manager Wednesday. He said Field was an “invaluable partner” who “has built a world-class team at Ford.”
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But many of Ford’s initiatives involving software and EVs have not performed as expected. Most importantly, the automaker reported significant shortfalls in software revenue generation and announced a $19.5 billion write-off in December due to a pullback on electric vehicles and a realignment of business priorities.
Although many automakers have announced such impacts from electric vehicles, Ford’s loss was much greater than its closest rival. General Engines, announced that such charges amount to roughly $7.6 billion.
In addition to Field’s departure from the company, Ford on Wednesday announced advanced vehicle development products and a number of other changes to its European production.
“With this combined organization, I believe we are better positioned than ever to deliver high-quality tools, enhanced digital experiences and profitable services,” said Galhotra. “That’s the whole point.”
