Detroit Ford Motor Company names Kumar Galhotra new North America president
After the ouster of former president Raj Nair’s "inappropriate behavior."

Kumar has a keen marketing sense and understands how to provide great customer service in a more competitive environment.

Los Angeles, Feb. 25, 2018
NRIpress.club/Suresh Mehta/ Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh Grewal

The Detroit Ford Motor Company named Kumar Galhotra 52, a new president for its North America division after the ouster of the former president Raj Nair for "inappropriate behavior." He will be responsible for leading all aspects of Ford’s North American business.

Currently he is the President of Lincoln Motor Company at Ford Motor Co, he took up this position September 1, 2014. Galhotra was credited with the dramatic turnaround of Lincoln SUV with tag price $96,905. He received the top award at the North American International Auto Show in January when the new Lincoln Navigator was awarded North American Truck of the Year.

"We made this decision after a thorough review and careful consideration," Ford CEO Hackett said. "Ford is deeply committed to providing and nurturing a safe and respectful culture and we expect our leaders to fully uphold those values."

In 2017, Kumar was named a group vice president, Lincoln and chief marketing officer for Ford Motor Company. He was responsible for leading the continued transformation of Lincoln as a world-class luxury brand, a role he was named to in September 2014.  He oversaw all Lincoln operations globally, including product development; marketing, sales and service; and all team members supporting the brand. He connect more closely with customers by identifying new opportunities to serve them. He shifted investments towards product categories that played to the company’s strengths, and developing more effective brand communications including digital services, emobility and autonomy.  

• Aug. 1, 2013, Galhotra was vice president, Engineering and was responsible for the engineering of all cars, trucks, SUVs and crossover vehicles for Ford and Lincoln brands.
• In 2009, Kumar became vice president, Product Development for Asia Pacific and Africa. He developed Ford’s aggressive plan to bring more than 50 new vehicles and powertrains to its Asia Pacific and Africa region by mid-decade.
• He was appointed a corporate officer on June 1, 2012.
• In 1988, he joined The Detroit Ford Motor Company and served in various positions in product development and product strategy. He led the introduction of the Ford Ranger into South American markets in 1998. He became the chief engineer for the Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner in the early 2000s; and was vehicle programs director for five vehicle lines in the mid-2000s.He oversaw the development of the all-new global compact pickup truck, the Ford Ranger.
• 2005-2008: Galhotra was posted Mazda’s headquarters in Hiroshima, where he was responsible for program management and product planning worldwide.

Bloomberg media reported: Raj Nair, president of North America for Ford Motor Co. since June 2017, is leaving the company after an internal investigation into reports of "inappropriate behavior."

"I sincerely regret that there have been instances where I have not exhibited leadership behaviors consistent with the principles that the company and I have always espoused," Raj Nair said. "I continue to have the utmost faith in the people of Ford Motor Co. and wish them continued success."

Kumar Galhotra, born December 1965, grew up in India and has a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan.