Interview Exclusive: The Management of Ford Motor Company by Bill Ford and His Sons under the Label "Blue Oval"
The current executive chairman of the Ford Motor Company, Bill Ford Jr, recently graced the Goodwood Festival of Speed alongside his sons Will and Nick. This family trio was not just there to appreciate the cool cars and trucks, but also to mark significant milestones and contemplate future collaborations.
Bill Ford, who has been at the helm of the company for the past 19 years, was accompanied by his sons Will and Nick. Both Will and Nick have recently joined the Ford Motor Company, leaving their careers in non-automotive businesses behind.
The Ford family's control of the company, spanning 122 years, is a testament to their unique stock structure. Introduced when Ford went public in 1956, this dual-class stock system allows the family disproportionate voting power compared to their ownership percentage. Bill Ford, with his 26% of these special shares, holds significant influence.
The family's control is also a result of strategic leadership outsourcing. They hire highly qualified professional managers, such as CEO Jim Farley, to handle operations, while maintaining strategic control. This blend of professional management with family oversight has helped stabilize governance and company performance.
The Ford family's sustained control is also due to their generational involvement and succession planning. The family actively involves successive generations in the business, with Bill Ford’s sons recently joining the company. This continuity helps preserve family values and long-term vision in corporate governance.
Henry Ford, Bill's great-grandfather, set a precedent for family dominance in leadership and ownership structures by acquiring majority control early on. He believed that once the company began to thrive, Ford's purpose should be to try to make the world better, funding a vast array of philanthropic projects.
During their visit to Goodwood, the trio was also there to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Transit, which forms the basis of Ford's commercial vehicle business. A potential visit to Red Bull Racing, Ford's 2026 Formula 1 powertrain partner, was also under consideration, following the recent departure of CEO and team principal Christian Horner.
The Ford Motor Company, established in 1903, was the first major car company to be led and controlled by the founding family for its entire history. Maintaining family control is not primarily motivated by power or profit for Bill Ford Jr, but also to maintain the focus of his great-grandfather Henry. The Ford name has been synonymous with innovation, adapting leadership approaches across decades while ensuring that family control remains intact.
In summary, the Ford family's maintenance of control is built on legally structured voting rights via special stock classes, prudent delegation of management duties, active multigenerational involvement, and a history of strategic ownership consolidation, enabling them to keep stewardship of Ford Motor Company across 122 years. Despite criticism from shareholder advocates, shareholder votes have repeatedly supported the family's control mechanism, affirming their unique position in the automotive industry.
The Ford family, under the leadership of Bill Ford Jr, who holds significant influence with his 26% special shares, is known for leveraging professional management to handle operations while maintaining strategic control in their automotive business, a stance that has been instrumental in stabilizing governance and company performance.
Bill Ford Jr and his sons, Will and Nick, who have recently joined the Ford Motor Company, came from careers in non-automotive businesses, demonstrating the family's ongoing interest in bridging finance, transportation, and other industries to drive innovation within the automotive sector.
