Directorate Change
July 11 2003 - 2:00AM
UK Regulatory
RNS Number:4386N
Ford Motor Co
10 July 2003
Contact: Anne Marie Gattari
313.322.9211
agattari@ford.com
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FORD NAMES J MAYS GROUP VICE PRESIDENT OF DESIGN
* Elevating the leadership of the Design organization underscores the
importance Ford places on vehicle design.
* J Mays has been an outstanding contributor to the business.
DEARBORN, Mich. July 10 - Ford Motor Company today named J Mays group vice
president, Design, effective Aug. 1, 2003.
Mays, 48, will report to Nick Scheele, chief operating officer. His
responsibilities will include leading the design of the more than 65 new Ford,
Lincoln and Mercury products that will launch within the next five years. He
also has design responsibilities for the 45 new products being launched in
Ford of Europe, 35 new products coming from the Premier Automotive Group and
15 new products coming from Mazda.
He had been a vice president reporting to Richard Parry-Jones, group vice
president, Product Development and chief technical officer.
"J Mays' design cues have made our vehicles distinctive and desirable to
customers," said Bill Ford, chairman and chief executive officer. "By elevating
his position to the level of group vice president, we are emphasizing the
importance of product design on our revitalization."
"Our revitalization is all about product," said J Mays. "I am excited by the
opportunity to take great vehicle design to the forefront of this company."
Mays joined Ford on Oct. 1, 1997, as vice president, Design. During that time,
he has overseen the development of the 2004 Ford F-150, Freestar and Mercury
Monterey minivans as well as the 2005 Ford Freestyle, Ford Five Hundred sedan,
GT and Mustang.
Mays has also led the development of significant concept vehicles including
the Ford Forty-Nine and '427' sedans, Mustang GT concepts, Jaguar F-Type and
Volvo Safety Car Concept.
Prior to joining Ford, Mays held various leadership positions in design at
Audi AG, BMW AG and Volkswagen of America.
The recipient of numerous professional awards and recognition, Mays is a
graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif. His design
career was the subject of an exhibition called "Retrofuturism: The Car Design
of J Mays" at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles in November 2002.
July 10, 2003
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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