Objective Alignment
FordDirect + Ford

Business Challenge

FordDirect is a joint venture owned by Ford Motor Company and the Ford dealers. This unique business relationship provides significant value to both organizations. However, at times, creating shared alignment could be challenging. 

Solution

In 2019 I was the SVP of Corporate Strategy at FordDirect. As part of my remit, I set the agenda, framed the approach, and oversaw the work on roadmaps reviewed and then presented in the Strategy BPR.  This work documented and communicated key areas where FordDirect and Ford should be aligned specifically for Product Enhancement and Emerging Strategy work.  

These open and sometimes challenging conversations about the business needs had the goal of aligning Ford and the Dealers, often including highlighting specific roadblocks including media approach, naming conventions, KPI alignment, and MTA approaches. 

Result

I earned GDIA’s trust. I was invited to their annual meeting, and when I requested to have my BI&A lead join me, although the seating was limited, I was able to bring him. This led to inspiring the poster session at FordDirect which was similar to the session GDIA creates.  

In addition, I earned the trust of a key leader in GDIA to collaborate together on Equity Mining.  These conversations led to work that included multiple tool integrations (confidential and can't be disclosed in this context.)

I led several meetings to adjust the ways of working and get the TVM (Targeted Vehicle Marketing) capabilities streamlined through Product and Field.   

I aligned T1-T3 strategies in the media and data space.  I envisioned the approach to articulate the “asks” and oversaw the team’s creation of the presentation to GDIA and MS&S.  This cross-functional dialogue served to align on FordDirect's transformation – especially focused on our evolved advertising model and how that uniquely leveraged and actioned data to support the Dealers and Ford.