LAWLER
John

• 1. Career
• 2. Education

John Lawler is chief financial officer, Ford Motor Company. In his current role, Lawler has overall responsibility for Ford’s finance functions, including Accounting, Financial Planning and Analysis, Treasury, Tax, Investor Relations, Economics, and Audit, as well as the Ford Credit business.

Career

Lawler was previously Chief Executive Officer, Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC and vice president, Mobility Partnerships, where he led the team developing and bringing to market driverless transportation services.

Previously, Lawler served as vice president, Strategy. In this role, he led Corporate Strategy, Business Development and Global Data Insights and Analytics where he facilitated creation of Ford’s long-term enterprise strategy and helped deliver critical partnerships, including with VW and Mahindra.

Lawler served as vice president and corporate controller and chief financial officer, Global Markets from 2016 to 2018.

Prior to his role as corporate controller, Lawler served as a vice president and chairman, chief executive officer of Ford China, appointed December 2012. In that role, Lawler had overall responsibility for Ford China operations and business leadership. Before he left the position in June 2016, Ford’s growth had reached record levels, selling more than one million Ford vehicles in 2015 with first quarter 2016 sales up another 14 percent. Lawler also led the introduction of mobility services to China with the City Ride project in partnership with Dida Pinche, China’s largest carpooling app.

Prior to his Ford China role, Lawler served as the chief financial officer (CFO) for Ford Asia Pacific and Africa, based in Shanghai. As CFO, he was responsible for the financial strategy and analysis of the company’s operations throughout Asia Pacific and Africa and worked alongside the company’s leaders for China and Asia Pacific to set business strategy.

Lawler has a wealth of global experience in business strategy particularly related to market analysis, pricing strategy and product programs. He was a key member of the team that led the company’s North American turnaround, serving as controller of U.S. Marketing and Sales from January 2007 until moving to China in 2010. In the U.S. position, he was responsible for key business strategies including pricing and business planning, and led the company’s efforts to reduce complexity and overhaul dealer policies.

He joined Ford Motor Company in 1990 and served in a variety of roles in North America, Europe and Asia. His assignments included serving as a controller in Ford of Europe’s Product Development organization and a finance leader with Mazda Motor Corporation in Japan.

Education

Lawler earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Knox College in 1988 and an MBA from the University of Iowa in 1990. Born in 1966, he and his wife, Inga, have three children.