Blue Oval veteran Kay Hart is back in Southeast Asia to head Ford’s International Markets Group (IMG), as its president. Hart succeeds Dianne Craig, who is the new president of Lincoln.

Ford IMG is responsible for Australia and New Zealand, ASEAN, North Africa, South Africa, and Middle East markets. Hart was Managing Director of Ford Philippines from 2013 to 2015.

Hart is credited for heading Ford’s product-led transformation in the Philippines that included the launch of several Ford nameplates, including the EcoSport, Everest, Ranger, Focus, Explorer, Escape, Mustang, and Expedition Platinum.

During her stint, Ford consistently delivered record sales and expanded its nationwide dealership network to 40 locations in the Philippines. Hart also led the establishment of Ford Academy in the Philippines, which focused on providing world-class training and skills improvement to all dealership staff.

She was assigned as Advanced Consumer Experience Marketing Director for Ford Asia Pacific until 2017.

Hart then went on to lead Ford Australia and New Zealand as president and CEO from 2018 to 2020, before assuming her last role as Enterprise Product Line Manager of Ford Europe which also saw her carry forward Ford's commercial vehicle alliance with Volkswagen.