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Stephen Odell to replace Fredrik Arp as a CEO for Volvo Ford.

By Amarendra Bhushan for CEOWORLD Magazine Updated:September 2, 2008

Ford has had losses of $23.9 billion since 2005, mainly because of its North American operations. CEO Alan Mulally has shed all European luxury brands sold off its Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin businesses as part of strategy to focus on core brands and concentrate on North America.

Ford Motor Co. is to replace Volvo Car Corp. CEO Fredrik Arp with Stephen Odell (currently Ford’s chief operating officer), the company has just announced. The move, which is effective from 1 October, he will be new president and chief executive officer for Volvo Car Corp. unit.

A statement just released by Ford Motor Company the second-largest U.S. automaker, reveals that Arp – who has held the Volvo top job since 2005 – decided to leave the company of his own accord. His replacement Stephen Odell European Chief Operating Officer, has played a key role in Ford’s European resurgence in recent years as chief operating officer. Now he’ll be tasked with boosting Volvo’s floundering sales.

Ford boss Alan Mulally said: “Stephen is the right person – together with Lewis Booth and the Volvo Cars Management Team – to take Volvo forward and to return the business to sustainable profitability.” Odell will report to Ford Executive Vice President and Volvo Chairman Lewis Booth.

Odell today described Volvo as “an iconic automotive brand” and said he plans to revitalizes it by building on the “very Swedish attributes… that appeal to customers around the world.”

Who is STEPHEN ODELL?

Title: Chief Operating Officer, Ford of Europe

Stephen Odell
Stephen Odell was appointed Chief Operating Officer, Ford of Europe on April 1, 2008. Prior to this, Mr. Odell was Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service for Ford of Europe, a position that he held since September 1, 2005. Mr. Odell also is a Ford Motor Company Vice President.

Mr. Odell joined Ford Motor Company in 1980 as a graduate trainee in Ford of Britain. He worked in several management positions in sales and marketing in Britain and the U.S., before being appointed Vice President, Marketing and Sales for Jaguar North America in 1997.

In January 2000, Mr. Odell joined Mazda Motor North America as Vice President, Marketing and Sales. From 2000 to 2001, he served on the board of governors of Dillard University in New Orleans, a “Historically Black Colleges and Universities” institution. Mr. Odell became Chief Operations Officer for Mazda North America in October 2000, and was then appointed President of Mazda Europe in January 2002. In May 2003, he was elected Senior Managing Executive Officer, Marketing, Sales and Customer Services for Mazda Motor Corporation, Japan, where he was also a member of the board.

Born in London, UK, in 1955, Stephen Odell is married with two children.

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