Industryweek 12026 Rr 1
Industryweek 12026 Rr 1
Industryweek 12026 Rr 1
Industryweek 12026 Rr 1
Industryweek 12026 Rr 1

Ford Picks 3M Executive to Serve as Chief of Smart Mobility Unit

Sept. 29, 2016
Rajendra Rao will lead businesses including City Solutions, the Chariot shuttle service and the Greenfield Labs business-model incubator. 

Ford Motor Co.  (IW 500/4) hired Rajendra Rao from 3M Co. as chief executive officer of the Smart Mobility unit the automaker created to make a business of providing transportation services.

Rao, who will be based in Palo Alto, Calif., will lead businesses including City Solutions, the Chariot shuttle service and the Greenfield Labs business-model incubator.

At 3M, he developed business models with a focus on smart cities, wearables and digital wellness, Ford said. The native of Bangalore, India, reports to Jim Hackett, chairman of Ford Smart Mobility LLC.

“Ford Smart Mobility is a significant growth opportunity for Ford,” Hackett said in the statement. “Raj has deep experience in digital transformation, new business model cultivation and startup partnerships. He is the right leader to lead the delivery of mobility services globally and bring to life our vision to change the way the world moves.”

Under siege by online ride-hailing companies and potential new competition from the likes of Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Ford has been positioning itself as a provider of mobility services, as well as a manufacturer of cars and trucks. Despite the automaker’s strong profits, the stock slumped 14% this year through Sept. 28, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 6.2%.

By Jamie Butters

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

The Manufacturer's Guide to Transforming the Service Experience.

Sept. 11, 2023
Learn how a unified data platform can make your service experiences more efficient while reducing costs. Turn your service center into a profit center and map your service transformatio...

Evolution of the Service Experience: Aftermarket as Driver of Differentiation and Value

May 10, 2023
Service can play a more critical role in the relationship between an organization and its customers. Historically an afterthought, the service experience must drive differentiation...

Brand Tracking 101 Toolkit

May 30, 2023
Ongoing brand tracking is essential for improving brand health and tracking the ROI of marketing initiatives – in fact, companies with strong brand identities outperform competitors...

Complexity Reverberates Across Manufacturer Operations

Aug. 21, 2023
Design complexity and revenue disruptions overshadow machine builders’ progress in planning and execution. In this research report conducted by IndustryWeek, learn how implementing...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!