Rabat – Automotive giant Ford announced the reintegration of North Africa into the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) network as part of an overhaul of its organizational structure and operations across the region.
A statement from the group released this week announced that the overhaul is accompanied by an increased commitment to regional investment, including the appointment of new leadership roles to enhance the company’s presence in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
“Ford’s commitment to customers in the Middle East and North Africa, who have trusted the Ford and Lincoln brands for decades, is unwavering,” President of Ford Middle East and North Africa Ravi Ravichandran said.
He also welcomed North Africa back into its operations.
“To that end, we’ve appointed top leaders who will help us continue to grow and better serve our customers and partners,” he said.
The company announced Ramzy Hadi as the managing MENA director, who has been a Ford Middle East veteran since 2010.
Hadi will now lead regional strategy, operations management, and distributor partnership development.
Part of the appointments scheme, Ford also announced Amith Shetty as Country Director in Saudi Arabia and North Africa with the goal of focusing on aligning regional priorities with market growth trends.
Khodr Dahoud will take on his new role as a regional sales manager in North Africa, driving new commercial campaigns and strengthening Ford’s presence in the North Africa markets.
Other appointments also include Nicolas Lory, the After-Sales Director in the Middle East and North Africa, and Hamzeh Shalan, After Sales Manager in Saudi Arabia and North Africa.
Commenting on the new appointment, Ravichandran said Ramzy, Nicolas, and the entire leadership team are “equipped with the vision and expertise needed to advance our business.”
North Africa’s reintegration in the MENA region could play a central role in further boosting Morocco’s expansion as a giant automotive market in the region.
Ford is already present in Tangier. A factsheet from the Ford Media Center in 2018 said that its plant has undergone an investment of €3 billion since 2011.
Morocco is already strengthening its position, with the country’s goal to produce one million vehicles by the end of the year.
Morocco’s current production capacity is 700,000. Morocco also seeks to continue increasing the production of electric vehicles.
The country’s ambition is to produce 107,000 electric vehicles by the end of 2025.
