Mei Wei Cheng
DEARBORN, Mich., March 30, 2009 – Ford Motor Company today announced that Mei-Wei Cheng, group vice president and Ford China executive chairman, will retire April 1. Cheng joined Ford in 1998 and served as chairman and CEO of Ford Motor China for 10 years before assuming his current position early last year.
Cheng is responsible for Ford Motor China’s business strategy, as well as strengthening strategic partnerships and government relations. He also is vice chairman of Jiangling Motor Company and vice chairman of Changan Ford Automobile Corporation Ltd.
Robert J. Graziano, currently president and CEO, Ford Motor China, will become chairman and CEO, Ford Motor China, and assume the responsibilities of Cheng.
“Mei-Wei’s contributions to our business in the China market have been invaluable to Ford,” said John Parker, executive vice president, Asia Pacific and Africa. “Under his leadership, Ford has made a successful and rapid climb into China’s top ten automakers. We’re more competitive today, and better positioned for the future, thanks in large part to his strategic direction.”
Since his arrival at Ford, Cheng was instrumental in establishing and growing Ford Motor China’s joint-venture partnerships with Changan Group and Jiangling Motors Corporation, launching the Ford brand in China, and continuously expanding the operations of Ford Motor China to become one of the fastest-growing auto manufacturers in China.
“I have appreciated my time at Ford, and am proud to have been part of such an exciting and dynamic time and place in the history of such an iconic Company,” Cheng said.
Cheng joined Ford in January 1998 from General Electric Corporation, where he was a vice president, and regional executive and president of GE Appliance, Asia in Hong Kong. Before that, he was a vice president of General Electric and chairman and CEO of GE China.
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Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 213,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s wholly owned brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.