Ford names UK marketing chief amid reshuffle

Ford has named Anthony Ireson as its new UK marketing chief following the promotion of Mark Ovenden to managing director for Britain.

FordFocus

The appointment is one of a number of senior executive changes that Ovenden says aim to maintain continuity in Ford’s biggest European market.

Ireson, currently head of dealer operations, replaces Mark Simpson as marketing director. Simpson has been promoted to lead the sales office in Ford Russia as part of the Ford-Sollers joint venture to grow Ford’s presence in Russia, its fastest growing region.

Andy Barratt, currently director of Ford’s customer service division, and Jon Wellsman, currently sales director, will swap roles in a bid to give the senior management of Ford Britain a broader perspective of the business.

Ovenden, the incoming managing director of Ford Britain and current president of Ford Russia, says: “This appointment means that Mark [Simpson] can deploy his considerable sales and marketing expertise to maximum benefit. At the same time, continuity is being retained to a large extent in the core team in Britain, Ford’s biggest European sales market, as it works to grow Ford’s UK sales leadership.”

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