[car fanatics]

Source
Photo credit: Ford
March 2, 2012
By: CF staff

Mark Fields, Ford Motor Co. (F)’s president of the Americas and a leading candidate to succeed Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally, nearly had a physical altercation with another top executive in 2006, according to “American Icon,” a new book on the automaker’s turnaround.

Don Leclair, then Ford’s chief financial officer, insisted Fields cut the advertising budget for the “Bold Moves” campaign aimed at reversing the sales slide. Leclair had previously blocked attempts by Fields to offer lifetime warranties and carbon offsets for Ford vehicles as part of the ad campaign, deeming the moves too costly, Hoffman wrote.

At the museum meeting, Leclair said there was “no other alternative” to even deeper cuts for the ad campaign because of Ford’s widening financial crisis, which would lead to a loss of $12.6 billion in 2006.

“When you run the f--king business, you can do it,” Fields responded to Leclair, Hoffman wrote. “But you don’t run it. You’re the CFO. So, I’ll take your counsel, but that’s it.”

Leclair then shouted, “You’re going to do this,” Hoffman wrote, adding: Fields leapt out of his chair screaming, “I’m tired of this bulls---!”

[docCarter]

I like this guy.

[Dequindre]

I don't like this guy, he can't even get core principles of business right. Why would you change the names of former best-selling cars just so everything starts with the same letter? Brand recognition Mark, brand recognition!