(Bloomberg) -- Ford Motor Co. elevated China to a stand-alone division reporting directly to its global headquarters and brought back a company veteran to head the operations as it tries to return the unit to profit amid a slowing market.
Anning Chen, a former Ford manager who later served as the chief executive officer of Chery Automobile Co. and chairman of Chery and Jaguar Land Rover’s joint venture, will lead Ford’s turnaround effort in the country, the company said Wednesday.
Ford is doubling down on China and plans to introduce 50 new vehicles by 2025 and increase local production for Ford and Lincoln brands after falling behind rivals in the world’s largest market. To cater to the booming demand for electric cars in China, where Tesla Inc. is setting up a car factory, Ford has set up a joint venture with Anhui Zotye Automobile Co. to produce a range of small battery-powered vehicles.