Ford Philippines will have a new managing director that’s set to continue the car brand’s momentum in the local market. Ford Motor Company appointed Michael “Mike” Breen to be Ford Philippines’ managing director effective June 1.
Breen replaces PK ‘Uma’ Umashankar who has led the blue oval brand in the Philippines for almost two years. Umashankar has been appointed as the director of Ford Customer Service Division, International Markets Group (IMG).
Breen is currently the managing director of Ford Asia Pacific Direct Markets (APDM). Aside from maintaining Ford’s momentum in the Philippines, Breen is said to sustain the success of the car brand’s vehicle lineup as well as to further enhance the ownership and aftersales experience for Ford customers.
Ford PH new managing director Michael Breen
Breen has nearly three decades of working in Ford markets globally. He will relocate to Manila and will report directly to Ford ASEAN president Yukontorn ‘Vickie’ Wisadkosin. Wisadkosin said in a statement that he is confident that Breen can further improve Ford’s market presence in the Philippines.
“Mike brings with him a wealth of experience gained from close to three decades of working in Ford markets all over the world. As APDM country lead complemented by his extensive expertise in dealer relations, marketing, and sales operations, I am confident that Mike’s leadership in the Philippines, together with our dealer partners, will help us improve customer experience to further grow the Ford brand in the market,” said Wisadkosin.
Breen joined Ford in 1993 as a customer service representative in Ford North America. He then worked his way up the corporate ladder while doing marketing and sales roles. One of the highlights of Breen’s career in Ford is he led the launch and execution of a groundbreaking partnership with Home Shopping Network, which is said to help increase the car brand’s leads and sales.
Ford Ranger Raptor
In 2016, Breen was appointed Truck and SUV Launch Manager in Ford Asia Pacific based in Shanghai, China. He facilitated the integration among teams in Marketing Communications, Media Communications, Truck, and various Asia Pacific markets to support the launch of the Ranger Raptor in 2018. Then in 2018, Breen moved to Bangkok, Thailand, and took the role of Marketing Communications Launch Manager for Ford Asia Pacific Operations.
Ford Ranger FX4 Max
Looking at his resume, Breen is no stranger to Ford trucks and SUVs, which he could use to his advantage in the Philippine market. The Ranger and the Everest are two popular Ford models in the local market. Breen’s appointment could also hint that Ford is preparing for the launch of the all-new Ranger and Everest in the coming years since these two models are due for an extensive update.
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