Changes in Ford Leadership

The last week has seen some reshuffling in the leadership at Ford Motor Company. Mitch Bainwol, Ford’s chief government relations officer for almost three years, has announced his approaching retirement, and John C. May, chairman and CEO of Deere & Company, will be joining Ford Motor Company’s board of directors.

Mitch Bainwol will be officially retiring from the company on December 31st of this year. Before he joined Ford in 2019, he spent eight years as the president and CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. Prior to this he was chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America from 2003 to 2011. He also served as the chief of staff for both U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Florida Senator Connie Mack. 

During his time as Ford’s chief government relations officer, Bainwol managed the company’s interactions with government officials and agencies from over 100 markets around the world.

“Partnering with governments is critical to constantly simplifying, advancing and accelerating what we do, so that we’re always giving customers and society the value they deserve,” said Ford President and CEO Jim Farley.  “Mitch and his team have done a great job making those relationships possible and productive, putting Ford in the middle of important policy discussions.”

Steven Croley, Ford’s chief policy officer and general counsel, will oversee Bainwol’s Government Relations team beginning in the new year, and will continue with this responsibility until a successor to the position is found.

With this departure also comes an arrival. The election of John C. May has expanded the Ford Motor Company board of directors to fifteen people. May will serve on the Finance, Compensation, Talent and Culture, and Nominating and Governance committees.

May became chairman of Deere & Company in May 2020, and he has been the CEO of Deere & Company since November 2019. His election to the board has a lot to do with the changes he made at Deere. He has been involved in their recent efforts to modernize the agriculture and construction industries by introducing increased connectivity and technology, as well as having been the managing director of Deere in China, during a period in which Deere’s Chinese operations were undergoing major changes.

May’s role in transforming Deere & Company aligns well with Ford’s ambitious goals for their own future. Ford’s plans for the coming years are intended to revolutionize not only their own operations but the entire industry, and having people with relevant experience such as John C. May’s will contribute to these goals being realized. 

“Our industry is in an exciting period of disruption and we’re changing Ford in significant ways that are good for all our customers and stakeholders, with advanced technology and digital connectivity at the center,” said Bill Ford, executive chair. “That’s what Deere is doing in its businesses, making John’s expertise invaluable to our board as the Ford management team executes the company’s strategy for growth and value creation.”