Andrew Birkic Appointed President And Ceo, Ford Australia And New Zealand

Ford Motor Company is today announcing the appointment of Andrew Birkic as President and CEO, Ford Australia and New Zealand.

Birkic, currently Chief Product Marketer – Ranger and Everest, will be based in Melbourne, reporting to Mark Ovenden, President, Ford International Markets Group.

“Andrew is a highly experienced and engaging leader who brings a wealth of insights into the evolving needs of customers,” said Mark Ovenden, president, Ford International Markets Group. “Andrew’s passion for bringing vehicles to market that truly serve our customers, his breadth of understanding of the local market, and his global expertise will serve as a strong foundation for the continued progress of the business. I am delighted to welcome Andrew into this role.”

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Customers have been at the centre of each of Birkic’s roles with Ford in Australia, Asia and the US over the past 26 years. As Chief Product Marketer – Ranger and Everest, Birkic represents the needs of global customers in key product decisions, ensuring the unique requirements of customers from each region are considered. He also has global responsibility to develop pricing, series and positioning strategies for future vehicles, working in close collaboration with the Product Development team based in Melbourne.

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ABOVE: Kay Hart, Andrew Birkic

Prior to his current role, Birkic spent three years in Detroit as Global Advanced Consumer Experience Platforms Manager, and two and a half years in Shanghai as Director, Dealer Development and Consumer Experience for Ford Asia Pacific. Working with dealers and Ford teams in each country to develop tools and strategies to better serve their customers was at the heart of both roles.

Before this, Birkic held a variety of leadership positions across marketing, sales and the Ford Customer Service Division at Ford Australia, where he began his career in 1994.

“I am thrilled to be re-joining the fantastic team in Australia and New Zealand,” said Andrew Birkic, president and CEO, Ford Australia and New Zealand. “I know how passionate and accomplished the team is, having spent the past two years working with the Ranger and Everest development team to grow the brands across more than 180 markets. I look forward to working closely with our team and dealers to serve our customers.”

In this role, Birkic will be responsible for Ford’s National Sales Company (NSC) in Australia and New Zealand, including marketing, sales and service, dealer relations, and customer satisfaction. Birkic’s appointment comes at an exciting time for Ford Australia and New Zealand, as the company prepares to launch the all-new Ford Puma and Escape SUVs, including the brand’s first electrified vehicle, the Escape Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV).

Birkic succeeds Kay Hart, who is appointed to the global role of Enterprise Product Line Manager, Van and Bus. Ford’s Enterprise Product Line Management (EPLM) organisation comprises cross-functional teams that manage distinct product lines as end-to-end businesses and leverage Ford’s human-centred design, advanced product marketing and user experience teams to create breakthrough products and customer experiences. In this role, Hart will report to Jim Baumbick, Vice President, EPLM and will be responsible for the Van and Bus product lines in addition to carrying forward Ford’s Commercial Vehicle alliance with VW. Hart has also been appointed a member of the Ford Otosan Board of Directors, and will be based out of Dunton, UK.

“Kay’s contribution to our business in Australia and New Zealand over the past two years has been outstanding, from delivering Ranger’s overall 4×4 leadership in Australia, to further strengthening our focus on customer satisfaction,” said Ovenden. “We congratulate Kay as she transitions to her new global role.”

Hart joins the EPLM team after holding a number of key roles in New Zealand, Thailand, China, the Philippines, the US and Australia over her 21 years at the company.

“I’ve loved my time in Australia and New Zealand,” said Hart. “I have every confidence that our Ford team – both employees and dealers – will continue to strive to create an even better experience for our customers and introduce great vehicles to this rapidly evolving market. I am proud of our commitment to Australia, and the work of our 2,500-strong team who design and engineer world-class vehicles like the Ranger and Everest and look forward to following their progress in my new role.”