Ford chief to leave over ‘inappropriate behaviour’
Ford Motor Company has said that Raj Nair, its president for North America, will leave the company immediately after an internal investigation found his behaviour was “inconsistent with the company’s code of conduct”.
Ford did not give any details on what that behaviour entailed. A company spokesman said the review was launched in the past few weeks after Ford received a report of inappropriate behaviour.
Mr Nair’s departure comes after several high-profile business leaders and politicians have quit or been fired in the past year following accusations of sexual harassment, with the social media movement known
as #MeToo pressing for more accountability in corporate cultures.
“We made this decision after a thorough review and careful consideration,” said Ford chief executive Jim Hackett in a statement. “Ford is deeply committed to providing and nurturing a safe and respectful culture and we expect our leaders to fully uphold these values.”
As North American chief, Mr Nair was responsible for operations that generate about 90 per cent of Ford’s global profits. Mr Nair apologised, without elaborating.
“I sincerely regret that there have been instances where I have not exhibited leadership behaviours consistent with the principles that the Company and I have always espoused,” Mr Nair said in Ford’s statement. The company is not investigating other executives for similar cases, a Ford spokesman said.
Mr Nair, 53, was appointed to his current position last May when Hackett became CEO of the US automaker.
Mr Nair previously served as Ford’s chief technical officer. He joined Ford in 1987 and rose through the automaker’s manufacturing and engineering ranks to become head of global product development in 2015.
Mr Nair stands to lose about $4.8m worth of Ford restricted shares he was granted in May 2017 that he would have vested had he remained with the company until May 2020.
In August, Ford agreed to pay up to $10m to settle an investigation into sex and race harassment at two plants in Chicago conducted by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Investors and analysts have been unhappy with the seeming lack of a clear direction for Ford
After The New York Times published a widely read article on the matter, Hackett wrote in an open letter that “there is absolutely no room for harassment at Ford Motor Company.” “We don’t want you here, and we will move you out for engaging in any behaviour like this,” he wrote.
Ford has been working to effect a turnaround in its operations to improve profitability as Ford’s automotive profit margins have shrunk. In emailed commentary, Michelle Krebs, executive analyst at Auto Trader, the online market for cars, said this comes “at a particularly bad time for Ford.”
“Investors and analysts have been unhappy with the seeming lack of a clear direction for Ford,” she said. “The pressure is on Jim Hackett... to lay out a clear road ahead for Ford.”
The company’s margins have fallen behind rivals General Motors and Fiat Chrysler. For the year to date, Ford shares are down 14 per cent. In extended trading on Wednesday 22 February, Ford shares were unchanged from their official close of $10.60 (£7.63).