Alexandra Ford English
FORD MOTORAbout Alexandra Ford English
Alexandra Ford English, age 37, has served on Ford Motor Company’s Board since 2021; she previously worked at Ford (2017–June 2022) in corporate strategy, mobility operations, and as Director of Global Brand Merchandising, and holds a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School . She is the daughter of Executive Chair William Clay Ford, Jr., reflecting continued Ford family stewardship on the Board . She is not listed among directors the Board determined to be independent, and serves on committees that are not restricted to independent members .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Motor Company | Director, Global Brand Merchandising | To June 2022 | Led growth strategy to leverage the Ford brand and motorsports into lifestyle merchandise . |
| Ford Motor Company | Director, Corporate Strategy | Pre-2017 | Enterprise strategy, capital allocation process, connectivity/tech stack/software strategies . |
| Ford (mobility division) | Director, Markets & Operations | Pre-2017 | Deployed/operated new mobility businesses in Miami, Austin, Washington, D.C.; city partnerships for mobility services . |
| Tory Burch; Gap, Inc. | Merchandising leadership | Prior to Ford | Ran merchandising divisions; retail/brand experience . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rivian | Director | May 2020 – May 2021 | Prior public board service at an automotive competitor . |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Finance Committee; Sustainability, Innovation and Policy (SIP) Committee (not a chair) .
- 2024 meeting cadence: Board met 8 times; Finance 4; SIP 4 .
- Attendance: Each incumbent nominee attended at least 75% of combined Board and committee meetings in 2024; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Independence: The Board determined specific directors to be independent; Alexandra Ford English is not among those listed and thus is a non‑independent director (family relationship and recent employment) .
- Lead independent director and structure: Ford maintains a Lead Independent Director and separates Chair/CEO roles; only independent directors serve on Audit, Compensation, Talent & Culture (CTC), and Nominating & Governance committees (AFE serves on Finance and SIP, which may include non‑independent directors) .
Fixed Compensation
2024 non‑employee director compensation (Ford-wide structure and AFE actuals):
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board membership fee (policy) | $315,000 | Base for non‑employee directors . |
| Lead Independent Director fee (policy) | $50,000 | Additional retainer . |
| Audit Chair fee (policy) | $30,000 | Additional retainer . |
| CTC Chair fee (policy) | $25,000 | Additional retainer . |
| Other Committee Chair fee (policy) | $20,000 | Additional retainer . |
| Alexandra Ford English — Fees earned in cash (2024) | $0 | No cash fees reported for 2024 . |
| Alexandra Ford English — Stock awards (RSUs) (2024) | $314,997 | Grant-date value pursuant to 2024 director plan . |
| Alexandra Ford English — Perquisites/evaluation vehicles (2024) | $43,896 | Vehicles, gifts, and healthcare; vehicle program details in footnotes . |
| Alexandra Ford English — Tax reimbursement (2024) | $19,184 | As reported . |
| Alexandra Ford English — Life insurance premiums (2024) | $264 | $200,000 policy offered to directors; options to reduce coverage . |
| Alexandra Ford English — All other compensation (2024) | $63,344 | As reported; totals may not sum due to rounding . |
| Alexandra Ford English — Total (2024) | $378,341 | Sum of reported elements . |
Key compensation design features for directors:
- Approximately 68% of annual director fees are mandatorily paid in RSUs; directors may elect to take more of remaining fees in RSUs; RSUs vest immediately; settlement can be deferred until separation; mandatory RSU portion cannot be sold/hedged/pledged until separation; dividend equivalents accrue for unsettled RSUs, and settled shares require dividend reinvestment until separation .
- Given the mandatory RSU deferral, Ford has no minimum share ownership requirement for directors; hedging/pledging of director equity under the plans is prohibited .
Performance Compensation
Directors do not receive performance-based equity (e.g., PSUs) or options under the non‑employee director plan; director RSUs are time-based with immediate vesting and no disclosed financial/ESG metrics .
| Element | Metric design | Vesting/Settlement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (non‑employee directors) | No performance metrics | Vest immediately; settlement elected (immediate/5 years/ separation) | 68% of board fee mandatorily in RSUs; no sale/hedge/pledge of mandatory RSU/shares until separation; dividend equivalents rules as disclosed . |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Current/Former | Role/Committee | Potential Interlock/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rivian | Former | Director | Automotive competitor; service May 2020–May 2021 . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Brand merchandising and retail leadership (Tory Burch, Gap) and Ford brand merchandising; customer engagement/brand management expertise .
- Corporate strategy and technology orientation (capital allocation, connectivity, tech stack, software strategies) .
- Mobility operations and city partnerships; deployment of innovative mobility services .
- Education: BA (Stanford); MBA (Harvard Business School) .
Equity Ownership
| Security | Beneficially Owned | % of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Common Stock | 54,575 | <0.14% of common (company notes no director >0.14%) | As of Feb 1, 2025 . Company states no director/NEO owned >0.14% of common . |
| Ford Common Stock Units | — | — | None reported for AFE . |
| Ford Class B Stock | 1,420,103 | 2.00% of Class B | As of Feb 1, 2025 . |
| Disclaimed Beneficial Ownership | 79,174 Class B | — | Held indirectly by family trusts; AFE disclaims beneficial ownership . |
| Pledging/Hedging | None reported | — | Company states no director or executive had pledged common or hedged exposure; plans prohibit hedging/pledging for directors . |
| Ownership guidelines | No minimum | — | No minimum share ownership requirement due to mandatory RSU deferral; see 2024 Plan . |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness and engagement: AFE attended at least 75% of combined Board/committee meetings in 2024; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting, supporting engagement expectations .
- Independence/conflicts: AFE is a non‑independent director (not listed among those determined independent) and is the daughter of the Executive Chair; she serves on Finance (chaired by her father) and SIP committees, which may include non‑independent directors .
- Related‑party context: The proxy discloses multiple family‑related transactions reviewed under Ford’s related‑person policy (e.g., Detroit Lions naming rights amendments/new agreement; family‑linked dealerships and services; Marketing Associates LLC payments; employment of Ford family members William C. Ford III and Nicholas Ford in 2024) .
- Alignment signals: Mandatory RSU deferral of ~68% of director fees, restrictions on hedging/pledging/sale of mandatory RSUs until separation, and Class B ownership align director interests with shareholders; no pledging or hedging reported for directors .
RED FLAGS to monitor:
- Family control/related‑party exposure: AFE’s family relationship and Class B stake (2% of Class B; Voting Trust controls ~99.90% of Class B overall) can present perceived conflicts despite formal review/recusal processes; Finance Committee is chaired by her father .
- Independence optics: Not listed among independent directors and former Ford employee (through June 2022) may raise independence concerns for some investors, although she does not serve on committees restricted to independent directors .
Overall implications: AFE brings brand, retail, and strategy/mobility expertise and meaningful ownership, but her non‑independence and family ties require continued scrutiny of recusal and related‑party oversight to maintain investor confidence .