Roelant de Waard is to retire as general manager of Ford of Europe’s passenger vehicles, effective end 2021, following more than 30 years with the Ford brand.

De Waard was appointed to his current position July 1, 2019, in addition to his role as vice president, marketing, sales and service, which he has held since January 2011.

A seasoned and highly experienced Ford executive, de Waard was chairman and managing director of Ford of Britain (February 2006 to end 2008). He was also VP of the Ford Customer Service Division Europe since April 2002 prior to his European posting.

Stuart Rowley, president, Ford of Europe, commenting on de Waard’s retirement, said:

“Roelant has been an outstanding leader at Ford and that was never truer than over the past years, being responsible for defining the passenger vehicle strategy in a time when electrification represents the most transformative change of our industry in over 100 years. At Ford of Europe, we are leading the way in our ambition to create a sustainably profitable all-electric future.”

De Waard first joined the Ford brand in the Netherlands in 1990 before moving to Dearborn, Michigan in the US in 1996. There he became marketing strategy manager and, in 1998, marketing plans manager at the large vehicle center. In 1999 he returned to Europe and was appointed managing director, Ford Netherlands, in 2000 prior to his Great Britain posting.

Born in Oegstgeest, the Netherlands, in 1962, de Waard holds a master’s degree in Economics and Business from Erasmus University Rotterdam.