Elena A. Ford is Executive Vice President of Ford Motor Credit Global Brand and Marketing, effective Aug. 1, 2007. She is responsible for marketing, product management and sales support activities for Ford Motor Credit Company around the world.
Ms. Ford joins Ford Motor Credit from Ford Motor Company, where she was director of North America Product Marketing, Planning and Strategy with responsibility for future Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products. She was named to the position on June 1, 2005. Ms. Ford took on additional responsibility for planning and product strategy for the three brands while maintaining the marketing strategy responsibilities of her previous position.
Previously, Ms. Ford was director, North American Product Marketing, leading the input of customer research and advanced marketing in the development of new vehicles. She began this role with Ford Division on Oct. 1, 2003, and assumed responsibility for Lincoln Mercury on Dec. 1, 2003.
In December 2002, Ms. Ford became director, Business Strategy, International Automotive Operations (IAO). Responsibilities for that assignment included strategy planning across the Premier Automotive Group, Ford Europe, Asia, and South America. Prior to these IAO responsibilities, she served as Mercury group marketing manager, where she was responsible for marketing and communications activities related to the Mercury car and SUV lines, as well as for bringing the voice of the consumer into the product development process.
Before joining Mercury, Ms. Ford served as director of e-Marketing and e-Solutions for ConsumerConnect, where she managed business-to-consumer marketing strategies and Ford Motor Company's brand websites, including Ford.com – the company's global Web site for products and services. Previous to her duties at ConsumerConnect, Ms. Ford was a brand strategy manager in the Marketing Strategy and Brand Management group.
When she joined the company in 1995, Ms. Ford served as truck brand communications coordinator. She also held various positions in Ford Division, including marketing communications specialist, car and motorsports communications coordinator, finance specialist in Product Development, and brand strategy leader in Global Marketing.
Before joining Ford Motor Company, Ms. Ford served as a senior account executive for Wells, Rich Greene Advertising in New York.
In September 2005, Ms. Ford was named one of the 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry by Automotive News.
Ms. Ford is the great-great granddaughter of Henry Ford and the granddaughter of Henry Ford II. She is a native of New York City, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Business from New York University.