Who was the CEO of Ford Motor Company during the Great Recession?

Alan Mulally was the CEO of Ford Motor Company during the Great Recession.

Ford appointed Mulally president and CEO in September 2006, after he had spent decades at Boeing. He took over as the auto industry was already weakening and guided Ford through the severe 2008–09 crisis.

Mulally’s “One Ford” strategy emphasized common global products, tighter cost control, and transparent weekly business reviews. Ford also mortgaged its assets to raise $23.6 billion before the worst of the downturn, giving it more liquidity than General Motors and Chrysler. Ford avoided bankruptcy and a federal bailout, while both rivals entered bankruptcy proceedings and received government support.

William Clay Ford Jr. was Ford’s chairman when Mulally was hired, not the CEO during the recession. Mulally remained CEO until 2014, when Mark Fields succeeded him.