Ford Taps Baumbick To Head Product Line Management; Deeper Customer And Market Insights Key To New Approach

August 28, 2018 by Ford

•Ford is establishing 10 product line management teams to better meet emerging customer needs, drive top-line growth and maximize returns

•Ford appoints Jim Baumbick as vice president, Enterprise Product Line Management, to lead the teams, which will include cross-functional expertise in engineering, product planning, manufacturing, marketing, and finance

•The new Enterprise Product Line Management organization will leverage Ford's human-centered design, advanced product marketing and user experience teams to create breakthrough products and customer experiences

•These product line teams will work closely with Ford's Product Development organization and global business units to create a winning portfolio of vehicles and bring them to market faster and more efficiently

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 27, 2018 – Ford Motor Company today announced the creation of a new Enterprise Product Line Management organization as it continues to transform to meet emerging customer needs, drive top-line growth and maximize returns.

The new organization will be led by Jim Baumbick, who is named vice president, Enterprise Product Line Management, and becomes a company officer. He will report to Jim Farley, Ford president, Global Markets.

The new EPLM organization establishes 10 cross-functional teams that will manage distinct product lines as end-to-end businesses and leverage Ford's human-centered design, advanced product marketing and user experience teams to create breakthrough products and customer experiences.

'Our most successful franchises – from F-150 to Mustang to Transit -- are anchored in an obsession for the customer, deep product expertise and an unyielding commitment to strong returns,' Farley said. 'By taking this approach, we can raise the bar across our product lines. Each team will have clear accountability for winning in the marketplace and delivering profitable growth.'

The 10 teams include:

•F-Series

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•Urban utilities

•Rugged utilities

•Family utilities

•Performance vehicles

•Commercial vehicles

•Electric vehicles

•Compact trucks

•Luxury vehicles

•Emerging market vehicles

The product line teams are designed to be nimble, customer-focused and include cross-functional expertise in engineering, product planning, manufacturing, marketing, and finance. The EPLM teams will work closely with Ford's Product Development and Marketing organizations, global business units and regional skill teams to create a winning portfolio of vehicles and bring them to market faster and more efficiently.

Baumbick, 47, brings 25 years of Product Development experience to his new role. Prior to this position, Baumbick served as executive director of Global Product Planning and Strategy where he led the development of the company's flexible modular architecture approach, a key enabler for Product Development fitness. Baumbick will maintain his present responsibilities within Global Product Planning and Strategy.