Ford of Europe names Martin Sander GM of passenger vehicles unit

Ford announced that Martin Sander has been appointed general manager, Passenger Vehicles, Ford of Europe, and chair of the management board of Ford-Werke GmbH, effective June 1.

Sander and his team will be responsible for accelerating Ford’s delivery fully electrified and connected passenger vehicles.

Sander will take over responsibilities previously held by Roelant de Waard and Gunnar Herrmann, both of whom elected to retire at the end of last year. He will report to Stuart Rowley, president, Ford of Europe.

“Martin is a highly experienced leader with a wealth of global experience,” said Rowley. “His drive, leadership and new thinking will speed the transformation of our passenger vehicle business in Europe to provide customers with new connected experiences.”

Sander will be based in Cologne, the home of Ford’s European passenger vehicle business and site of the Cologne Electrification Centre, where the first all-electric passenger vehicle will roll off the production lines starting next year.

Born in Hildesheim, Germany, Sander holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the Technical University of Braunschweig.