People Moves: Ford Motor Company Appoints Doug Field

As Ford Motor Company continues to advance its Ford+ growth plan, the company has named Doug Field as its new Chief Advanced Technology and Embedded Systems Officer. 

Field has joined, effective immediately, Ford Motor Company from Apple, where he severed as VP of Special Projects. Prior to working at Apple Field was also Senior Vice President of Engineering at Tesla. 

Field’s new appointment at Ford Motor Company marks a return to the company, Field began his career as a development engineer at Ford Motor Company between 1987 and 1993.

“I’ve always felt a deep connection to Ford. Ford products have been in my life as long as I can remember – F-150s on my dad’s farm, a ’65 Continental picking us up at my wedding and my thrill when I discovered the brilliant elegance in the design of the Model T. I’m grateful for the opportunity to help the team build the next generation of iconic Ford vehicles and prepare Ford for the next hundred years,” said Field.

Reporting to Ford President and CEO Jim Farley, Field’s new role will include:

• Leading design, development and implementation of the Blue Oval Intelligence tech stack for Ford, Lincoln and Ford Pro products, creating intuitive and always-on experiences.
• Deliver customer-facing attributes, technologies, and features including infotainment, navigation, driver-assist, connected services, and vehicle cybersecurity.
• Developing scalable technology platforms deployable across Ford’s global products.
• Leading and managing relationships with key technology partners, as well as the digital developer ecosystem.
• Leading Ford Power-Up over-the-air updates to delight customers, improve quality, and reduce costs.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Ford as it embraces a transition to a new, complex and fascinating period in the auto industry. It will be a privilege to help Ford deliver a new generation of experiences built on the shift to electrification, software and digital experiences, and autonomy. I’m committed to helping the team make those experiences seamless, delightful and continually advancing over time,” added Field.

“Doug is one of the world’s most respected engineering and product design leaders and has been a driving force behind breakthrough products across auto, tech and mobility, including at Apple, Tesla and Segway. His talent and commitment to innovation that improves customers’ lives will be invaluable as we build out our Ford+ plan to deliver awesome products, always-on customer relationships and ever-improving user experiences. We are thrilled Doug chose to join Ford and help write the next amazing chapter of this great company,” said Farley.

Another aspect of his new role will see Field partner closely with Hau Thai-Tang - Ford’s Chief Product Platform and Operations Officer - to create the next generation of Ford’s connected products and experiences. 

“Doug’s track record of innovation and expertise with embedded systems will help Ford accelerate the development and implementation of our Blue Oval Intelligence tech stack. I’m excited to partner with and learn from Doug as we bring our Ford+ plan to life,” said Thai-Tang.

“There is a set of common principles that unite companies building world-changing products. A fundamentals approach to engineering, grounded in physics. A relentless pursuit of excellence in everything they do. An integrated way of thinking about all the disciplines that come together when developing new products. And a sensitivity to design, and why customers fall in love with products and brands. I am lucky enough to have worked in teams and companies that embody these principles, and I know they will be a part of building great products and experiences at Ford,” concluded Field.