Ford has reached outside the auto industry for its global next chief marketing officer, installing former eBay North American CMO Suzy Deering into the position.
Deering left eBay in mid-October after five years. She joined the online marketplace after serving as CEO of Publicis-owned Atlanta-based agency Moxie, after logging time in marketing roles at Home Depot and Verizon. Deering lacks significant experience in automotive, according to her LinkedIn page, making her selection unusual for an industry that tends to hire top marketing leaders from within.
Her selection signals that Ford wants to continue to bolster its tech chops as it increasingly competes with Silicon Valley firms like Tesla, Uber and Lyft. In a statement, Ford described Deering as “accomplished at using technology, data and analytics to anticipate customer needs and fulfill them with human-centered products and services.”
“Technology will be a powerful part of Ford’s transformation and how we enhance and release the huge value of our iconic brands,” Deering said in a statement. “My team will be involved from end-to-end on behalf of customer—better connecting with them, using data to foresee and deliver what they need, and earning and keeping their trust.”