Mark Truby | Influence 100

Mark Truby 

VP, Global Communications 
Ford Motor Company
US

 

 

 As an iconic company adapting to the 21st century automotive industry, Ford has made some high-profile moves since Mark Truby assumed the job of CCO in May 2017 as part of a management shakeup resulting from a two-year slump. Demand is building for new products including the electric Mustang Mach-E and Bronco Sport, both of grew out of the company’s turnaround plan that includes no longer making traditional sedan models, as a means of cutting costs while focusing on SUVs. In another sign of the times, the company launched Ford Autonomous Vehicles, a new organization charged with accelerating its AV business to capitalize on market opportunities.

With those kind of moves Ford is destined to stay in the limelight, with Truby at the helm of communicating the continued evolution of the 116-year-old company whose Model T opened up car travel to middle-class Americans.

Truby was tapped to lead Ford’s communications after a decade in comms roles with the company. He was a Detroit Free Press business editor before that.

Can you share a moment in your career when you saw PR's direct impact on business performance
Ford’s response to the Covid crisis and our ensuing PR plan to talk about how we pivoted to make PPE and health care equipment.

What are the comms industry's biggest challenges and opportunities in the year ahead?
The erosion of mass media.