AFF Technical Resources - Ford Performance Vehicles Appoints New General Manager

July 2007

Ford Australia and Prodrive today announced the appointment of Rod Barrett as General Manager of Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV).

Barrett is an experienced business leader with an extensive sales and marketing history for multinational companies across Australasia, UK and throughout Asia, including 11 years of senior management with The Coca-Cola Company and over two years with Fosters Group.

His most recent role was as Commercial Director of Ford Performance Racing, where he was a key architect of the team's commercial and on-track success in 2005 and 2006.

Rod has had a long interest in motoring, with an international motor racing career that spanned 13 years and involved competition in a host of Australia and British circuit racing championships from 1979 to 1992.

Prodrive Asia Pacific Managing Director Bryan Mears said that Barrett's proven management record and experience in the performance motoring industry gives him an intrinsic understanding of FPV's philosophy, and this was a contributing factor in his appointment.

"Rod joins FPV at a time when the company has just recorded its equal second best sales month ever, and he is the ideal person to lead a new FPV team into the next phase of the company's growth.

"Rod will focus on the execution of our sales plans and the delivery of a range of exciting new products as we lead into the launch of a new Ford and FPV line up next year."

Ford Australia President Tom Gorman said the company looks forward to working with Barrett during an exciting new phase of model development and introduction.

"Rod's industry experience and his passion for performance motoring make him the perfect choice to lead our performance partner. We will work closely with Rod, as we have done with FPV in the past, to continue developing the well deserved iconic stature of the FPV brand in Australia."

Rod will commence as General Manager of FPV on August 1st. His replacement at Ford Performance Racing will be announced shortly.