Ford's Doug Field to Exit in EV Reorganization

Ford Motor Company announced on Wednesday that Doug Field, its chief electric vehicle, digital, and design officer, will depart the automaker next month after nearly five years in the role. The move coincides with a reorganization that merges the company's EV, digital, and design teams with its global industrial operations under a new unit led by Chief Operating Officer Kumar Galhotra.

Field, a veteran of Tesla and Apple, joined Ford in 2021 to spearhead its push into software-defined vehicles and electrification. His hiring marked a significant effort by Ford to infuse Silicon Valley expertise into its operations. Previously, Field had served as senior vice president of engineering at Tesla, where he contributed to the Model 3's development, and led Apple's secretive car project, known as Titan. He first worked at Ford as a development engineer from 1987 to 1993 before returning to drive the company's technology transformation.

Under Field's leadership, Ford established the Model e division in 2022 to focus on EVs and digital services, separate from its internal combustion engine operations. He oversaw the creation of the Universal Electric Vehicle platform, designed to support...