MICHAEL “MIKE” Breen will assume office as managing director of Ford Philippines effective June 1, announced Ford Motor Company in a release. Mr. Breen, currently managing director of Ford Asia Pacific Direct Markets (APDM), will relocate to Manila and will report directly to Ford ASEAN President Yukontorn “Vickie” Wisadkosin.
“In his new role, Breen will be responsible for continuing to drive Ford’s momentum in the Philippines, including sustaining the success of its vehicle lineup and further enhancing the ownership and after-sales experience for Ford customers,” said the company.
Averred Ms. Wisadkosin, “Mike brings with him a wealth of experience gained from close to three decades of working in Ford markets all over the world. As APDM country lead complemented by his extensive expertise in dealer relations, marketing, and sales operations, I am confident that Mike’s leadership in the Philippines, together with our dealer partners, will help us improve customer experience to further grow the Ford brand in the market.”
In his present role which he assumed in 2019, he leads a team that supports distributors across 25 countries working around various product requirements and customer engagement initiatives. He provided support to distributors in an effort to grow Ford’s presence in selected markets by introducing new products. This, in turn, led to a 15% increase in volume and 5.6% improvement in market share.
Mr. Breen earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Communications from Oakland University in 1991. Two years after, he joined Ford as a customer service representative in Ford North America, climbing up the ranks while performing various marketing and sales roles. As brand content and alliance manager, Mr. Breen led the launch and execution of a groundbreaking partnership with Home Shopping Network which helped increase leads and sales as well as improved overall perception of the Ford brand.
In 2016, he was appointed truck and SUV launch manager in Ford Asia Pacific based in Shanghai, China where he facilitated the integration among teams in marketing communications, media communications, truck, and various Asia-Pacific markets to support the launch of the Ranger Raptor in 2018. That year, he moved to Bangkok, Thailand as marketing communications launch manager of Ford Asia Pacific Operations.
Mr. Breen replaces PK Umashankar, who took on a new role as director of the Ford Customer Service Division’s International Markets Group (IMG) last April 1. He has overall responsibility for Ford’s customer service and after-sales initiatives across the territories comprising the IMG region. He has relocated to Bangkok, Thailand and reports directly to IMG President Dianne Craig.
Said Ms. Wisadkosin of Mr. Umashankar, “(He) has been instrumental in leading our business in the Philippines amid a very challenging time. Under his leadership, customers’ choices in the Ford showroom expanded with the successful launches of the Everest Sport, F-150, and all-new Ford Territory in 2020. His hands-on approach also allowed customers to enjoy improved parts availability and enhanced ownership experience supported by our dealer partners.”