Ford Retail Set To Appoint New CEO Following Departure Of Chris Hayden

BRENTWOOD, UNITED KINGDOM – June 20, 2011: Ford of Britain's wholly owned dealer group, Ford Retail, is announcing the departure of Chris Hayden, CEO who set up and led the organisation for more than ten years.

Chris Hayden leaves to join major independent US-based dealer group, Group 1 Automotive as Market Director, California – Group 1 holds a number of franchises including Ford in its portfolio. He first joined Ford more than 10 years ago with responsibilities for dealer investments across Europe.

Ford of Europe Vice President Marketing Sales and Service, Roelant de Waard, said: "Chris has done a fantastic retail job for Ford over his many years of service and has profitably developed Ford Retail into a customer-focused business worthy of our best-ever range of products. In due course we will be announcing a new leader who will continue the work started by Chris and take the business on to the next level."

With 60 sites spanning Britain, the Channel Islands and Northern Ireland, Ford Retail is one of the largest dealer groups in the UK and the largest Ford dealer group in the world.

Retailing under strong regional brands such as Dagenham Motors, Polar Ford, Heartlands Ford, Brunel Ford and Lindsay Ford, it employs more than 3,000 people and sells around, 75,000 vehicles a year with a turnover exceeding £1 billion. It also has a dedicated parts business trading as @First Parts Solutions.

Ford expects to announce the appointment of the new CEO within the next few months. In this interim period Angus Brown, Ford Retail Parts Operations Director, will be the acting CEO.