Ford of Europe creates motorsports director role

L-R-Deans-CapitoFord of Europe has appointed Mark Deans to the new role of motorsport director. He will be responsible for developing Ford’s motorsport activities through extended advertising, sponsorship, sales promotion and merchandising programmes.

Deans, who was previously Ford’s regional sales director for the South of England, will work alongside Malcolm Wilson, BP-Ford team director and owner of M-Sport, Ford’s partner for its main motorsport activity, the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). Deans will be the “focal point” through which Ford will continue to support M-Sport and the BP-Ford team.

Deans was manager of Ford’s European motorsport programmes between 1985 and 1989. He will report to vice-president of marketing, sales and service Stephen Odell in his new role.

Ford of Europe president and chief executive John Fleming says: “Mark will play a major role in pulling together the various parties involved in our WRC programme.”

Meanwhile, Ford of Europe has also moved Team RS chief Jost Capito to the new role of vehicle line director for Ford performance vehicles within the company’s product development division. Ford says the appointment confirms a major commitment to the development of future performance versions of current models.

In his new role, Capito will report to Ford of Europe vice-president of product development Joe Bakaj. Fleming adds: “We’re very serious about increasing the emotional appeal of Ford’s new models with the development of new performance derivatives of our mainstream models for the future.”