FARLEY
James
President and Chief Executive Officer of Ford
Organization: Ford Motor Company
Profession: President
Biography
Jim Farley is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ford, President of Ford Model e, and a member of Ford’s board of directors.
Professional activity
As CEO, Farley is focused on transforming Ford to lead the digital and electric revolution in the automotive industry, through the deployment of the ambitious, customer-focused Ford+ plan. The plan includes a focus on innovation and delivery of breakthrough electric vehicles at scale, along with development of software and connected vehicle technologies and services across all Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Under Farley’s leadership, Ford has boosted investment in electric vehicles to more than $50 billion and has set ambitious targets for scaling their production to 600,000 EVs a year by the end of 2023 and more than 2 million by the end of 2026.
Before becoming CEO, Farley was Ford’s chief operating officer, responsible for strengthening the company’s global automotive operations. In addition, he previously served as Ford’s president of New Businesses, Technology and Strategy, and earlier was Ford’s executive vice president and president of Global Markets, among several other roles at Ford.
He was instrumental in the ongoing reinvention of the Lincoln brand, setting it on a path for growth as a world-class provider of luxury vehicles and customer experience, including Lincoln’s introduction in China.
Prior to joining Ford in 2007, Farley was group vice president and general manager of Lexus, and the group vice president responsible for all Toyota Division market planning, advertising, merchandising, sales promotion, incentives, and internet activities. Farley previously worked in Toyota’s strategic planning, product, and marketing in the United States and Europe, and led the successful launch of Toyota’s new Scion brand.
In addition to his various roles at Ford, he currently serves on the boards of directors of the U.S. China Business Council and Harley-Davidson and is co-chair of the Future of Mobility Commission.
Farley’s passion for automobiles continues outside of the workplace. He is a collector and racer of vintage vehicles, and it is not uncommon to find him on tracks around the world racing his 1965 Ford GT 40, 1966 427 Cobra, or 1978 Lola 298, among others. Farley also recently launched DRIVE, a podcast that rekindles America’s love affair with cars – the influence they have in our life and how those experiences drive us to succeed personally and professionally.
Farley is also dedicated to giving back to his community and is a proud supporter of and frequent volunteer for the Pope Francis Center in Detroit. He also recently served as the Chairman of the capital campaign for the Center’s new Bridge Housing Campus.
Farley is a graduate of Georgetown University and the Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles. He and his wife, Lia, have three children.