IHS Automotive senior analyst Stephanie Brinley said: ‘These moves demonstrate that CEO Mark Fields has a deep talent bench, and that the company will continue its practice of developing its executives over time with new challenges. Both Odell and Farley are credited with key successes in their current positions; moving them at this time enables each to take on new challenges and provide fresh insight to their new roles. Additionally, with Fields having only just taken over as CEO, lateral movements are largely all that is available to him for executives as seasoned as Farley and Odell. The only posts higher on the org chart than executive vice president are CEO and executive chairman, a seat held by Bill Ford.

‘Though Ford has advised it will take longer to reach profitability in Europe than once planned, the delay in profitability is largely driven by macroeconomic factors the company cannot control. Odell’s reassignment is not likely driven by that delay. Europe is also seeing increases in wholesale deliveries and revenues and, ahead of Russian impact on Q3, had been reducing losses in Europe. Odell has set Ford of Europe back on the path to profitability as well as gotten Middle East and Africa launched.

‘Similarly, Farley has been leading Ford’s global sales and marketing function for about seven years, during which time he dealt with Ford’s handling of the US and European recessions. He drove the company to look at new ways to market its products and reach out to customer, including a much heavier, dynamic and proactive use of social media and interactive projects. Those efforts kept Ford fresh among consumers. With sales on an aggregate level heading the direction Ford wants, and having helped set up the network and prospects for Lincoln in China that are being executed and refined by Kumar Galhotra, providing a new opportunity is timely.’

‘Ford’s global sales, prior to the recession, peaked at 5.79 million units in 2004; they saw a low in 2009 at 4.49 million units. In 2014, they are forecast to exceed the previous high, at 6.01 million units. By 2020, IHS forecasts the company will see sales of7.16 million units. Both Farley and Odell have had key roles in Ford’s recovery. A shift in responsibilities might also be necessary to keep both Farley and Odell from burning out on their current roles. Both have been working through difficult regional and global economic times, as the US and European recessions presented extremely difficult conditions. Economic turbulence is not leaving the industry, certainly, but having weathered those particular storms and seemingly have been instrumental in putting Ford on a strong path forward, a change may be welcome.’