Jeff Jones, un veterano en Ford, presidirá la sociedad conjunta con Geely

Jeff Jones, a 30-year veteran at Ford, will lead the joint venture company with Geely at Ford's plant in Valencia. The automotive company announced Jones' appointment as president of the anticipated joint venture in Valencia. With a background spanning engineering, finance, strategy, and procurement, Jones assumes immediate leadership of the project to establish the joint venture in Almussafes, overseeing all necessary work to close the deal.

Currently, Jones serves as the Global Director of Purchasing for Digital Technology and Electric Systems at Ford. Throughout his nearly three-decade career at Ford, he has held positions in the United States, Germany, and Mexico, and worked over five years in China. Upon completing necessary immigration procedures, Jones will relocate to Valencia to lead the project on the ground.

Daniel Ruiz will continue as director of the Valencia plant, overseeing industrial operations. This appointment comes after Ford and Geely Auto announced a manufacturing joint venture agreement in July. By combining production volumes, Ford and Geely aim to maximize the Valencia factory's capacity and reduce the unit cost of each vehicle produced there, while supplying top-tier multi-energy vehicles and reinforcing the local Valencia economy.

Pending regulatory approvals and other closing conditions, the joint venture will begin operations in the first half of 2027, with the first new vehicles leaving the assembly line expected in 2028. Meanwhile, the Valencia plant will continue producing the Ford Kuga. In the medium term, three more vehicles will be added: another Ford crossover and two Geely all-terrain vehicles, which will start leaving the plant from 2029.

With 30 years of cross-functional experience at Ford, Jones is perfectly suited to guide this project and lead the future joint venture, according to Jim Baumbick, President of Ford Europe. Meanwhile, Daniel's continued leadership of industrial operations at the Valencia plant ensures that employees, customers, and investors can maintain the same level of excellence that has made Valencia one of Europe's most productive factories.