Stick to One Ford plan: Mulally to his successor

Stick to One Ford plan was the advice that Alan Mulally, outgoing chief executive of US automobile major Ford Motor Company (FMC), would like to give to his successor.

Mulally, who will be succeeded by chief operating officer Mark Fields, said Ford would bring to India its entire range of vehicles including trucks as and when the demand arises.

He said the One Ford plan was to make the FMC and its subsidiaries in various geographies to work in sync.

Mullay, who turned around FMC including drafting the One Ford plan during his 8-year stint at the automobile company, will retire July 1.

Mulally, who is on a visit to meet and say goodbye to the Ford India's employees, told reporters here: "My advice to my successor is to stay with One Ford plan."

Queried about his turn-around strategy, he said the focus was on seven aspects - serving all the markets around the world; focus on core brand; commitment to customers to have a complete range of vehicles, small car to trucks; offering value of money to our customers; operate as One Ford as a global company; match production with demand and taking care of finance.

"We had repaid our borrowings of $23.5 billion and have started paying dividend to shareholders," Mulally said, adding the company also funded all its product development for the next five years.

According to him, FMC has rationalised its vehicle platforms to nine based on which 85 percent of the vehicles were being rolled out.

Mulally said the Indian car market was expected to touch seven million units soon and India would be the export hub for FMC.

Currently Ford India ships out its vehicle to around 50 countries and more are expected to be added, he said.

On his post-retirement plans, Mulally said nothing has been decided.