Mike Amend brings multi-industry record of growth, value creation to new assignment as Ford’s chief digital and information officer

Ford has a new chief digital and information officer, Mike Amend, who will help focus the company use of data, software and technology to drive growth and create value for customers and other stakeholders – objectives which are central to the Ford+ strategy.

Amend, 43, was president, Online, at Lowe’s for the past three years.  He starts with Ford today and reports to President and CEO Jim Farley.

“Mike adds dimension to our team as we use technology and software to transform our company and transportation from the inside-out,” said Farley.  “Ford has always been an innovator in vehicles; now we’re taking our digital capabilities to new levels to further differentiate ourselves with customers and from competitors.”

Amend will lead Ford’s Technology and Software Platform, which consists of the Enterprise Information Technology, Global Data Insight and Analytics, and Ford Business Solutions functions.  His team will help translate customer needs into software solutions that engage and create value for them, Ford and other stakeholders.

Amend’s organization will work closely with those led by Hau Thai-Tang, the company’s chief product platform and operations officer, and Doug Field, who joined Ford last week as chief advanced technology and embedded systems officer.

“I’m excited to join Ford at such a pivotal time in the company and the industry,” said Amend.  “We’re completely reimagining digital experiences for our customers, colleagues, dealers and partners, and will use technology and real-time data to bring that vision to life.”

At Lowe’s, Amend’s team revolutionized the home-improvement retailer’s online business, achieving record results and earning broad industry recognition.  Under his leadership, the company’s online sales nearly tripled.

Previously, Amend held similar roles at JCPenney and The Home Depot, where online businesses grew by more than 20% and 40% annually, respectively, while improving customer satisfaction and profitability.  He was chief technology officer for Dell Technologies’ global online business and, before that, a technology executive BEA Systems and Sprint.

Amend is a director of Canada Life, an insurance and financial services company based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.  He is chair of the board of trustees for Texas Baptist Children’s Home.  Amend holds a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Services from Oklahoma State University, and completed the executive program at Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.

Farley said that Sakis Kitsopanidis, who has done “an exceptional job” as Ford’s interim chief information officer since early this year, will support Amend as he gets up to speed at the company, while continuing to serve as director, Integrated Enterprise Resource Planning.

Source: Ford Motor Company