MAM
JWT strengthens Ford relationship with new appointment, promotion
MUMBAI: With a view to strengthen it’s 62 year relationship with Ford Motor Co., JWT Worldwide CEO and chairman Bob Jeffrey announced two executive moves – that of George S Rogers and Doug Molloy.
Rogers, an automotive advertising veteran, has been named co-president of JWT Detroit, a role in which he will oversee the agency’s US relationship with its largest client, Ford.
Rogers will share leadership responsibilities for the office and its accounts with Tom Cordner, who also holds the title of JWT Detroit CO-president and is the Worldwide creative director on Ford.
Additionally, Molloy, who has touched nearly every aspect of the Ford account over his 29-year tenure at JWT, has been promoted to international business director, Ford, a post in which he will be responsible for all of JWT’s Ford business outside of the US.
Molloy will free Rogers to focus on Ford US and JWT Detroit’s other clients, including Domino’s, Bosch, Shell, White Castle, Delta Dental and Great Lakes Crossing.
Rogers, who will become a member of JWT’s Worldwide Executive Committee, will report to Jeffrey, and Molloy will report to JWT Worldwide president Michael Maedel.
“Over the years, our business with Ford has grown so elaborate and has presented so many opportunities, it deserves single-minded leadership in both the US and internationally. George’s extensive and highly regarded auto experience and Doug’s multi-faceted, distinguished tenure at JWT are a winning combination that is sure to expand the breadth and depth of our relationship with Ford on a worldwide basis. These moves are a part of our drive to secure top-notch talent, who will grow and evolve our most important client relationships,” said Jeffrey.
For the past eight years, Rogers was at Wenham, Mass-based Mullen, where he rose from senior vice president to executive vice president, group director. There, he managed the shop’s Detroit office and its relationship with General Motors, as well as oversaw its XM Satellite Radio, Stanley Works and the US Department of Defense accounts.
“George’s credentials are exactly what we sought for our Detroit office. Under his leadership, his teams have produced not only famous, but effective work for large complex clients. He is well respected by his creative partners, who point to his excellent sensibilities and embrace of big ideas. Most importantly, he has a track record of innovation in marketing communications and knack for building businesses and brands in tune with the future,” explains Jeffrey.
“This is a dream scenario for me. I look forward to partnering with Bob, Tom and my new team to work smart to build Ford’s brands domestically and to grow JWT’s presence in Detroit, already the city’s biggest and most vibrant agency and a genuine force in the Midwest. I love the car business and marketing communications, so what could be better than a job that marries these two passions?,” added Rogers, who will relocate to Michigan this summer.
Cordner added, “George is part of a master plan to move all our clients to the next level in communications. He thoroughly embraces change and understands the need to create ideas that people want to spend more time with.”
Molloy, who will continue to be based in Singapore, has spent the past two years supporting all of JWT’s Ford and Mazda business outside of North America as international vice president, senior executive management director, Ford International.
Prior to that, he was senior partner, executive management director, Ford International for four years. Since joining JWT Detroit in 1976, Molloy has worked on numerous award-winning new product launches in various countries, and spearheaded the expansion of JWT’s Ford business throughout all of Asia.
“Doug is a consummate professional, who knows the Ford business inside and out. We are always benefiting from his wealth of knowledge and expertise in everything automotive,” said Jeffrey.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook to step down after 15 years, John Ternus to take over
Leadership shake-up sees long-time hardware chief step up from September
CUPERTINO: Apple has confirmed that chief executive officer Tim Cook will step down from his role and transition to executive chairman, with senior vice president of hardware engineering John Ternus set to take over as CEO from September 1, 2026.
The transition, approved unanimously by the board, marks a carefully planned leadership shift at one of the world’s most valuable companies. Cook will remain CEO through the summer, working closely with Ternus to ensure a smooth handover before moving into his new role, where he will continue to support Apple and engage with policymakers globally.
In a memo to employees, Apple CEO Tim Cook reflected on his 15-year tenure, recalling the moment Steve Jobs asked him to step into the role. “It was an emotional and challenging moment for all of us at Apple,” he wrote, adding that the company’s core values, from simplicity and innovation to a commitment to improving lives, remain unchanged.
Explaining his decision, Cook said the company’s strong roadmap and future outlook made this the right time for a transition. “I have never been more optimistic about Apple’s future,” he noted, while announcing Ternus as his successor. He described Ternus as “a visionary in his own right” with “remarkable integrity” and the right leader to guide Apple into its next phase.
Cook said, “John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honour.”
Ternus, in his own note to employees, struck a steady, execution-focused tone. Ternus said, “It has been such a privilege to lead the hardware engineering team… I still plan to be very hands-on,” signalling continuity rather than a strategic reset.
As part of the leadership reshuffle, Ternus will step away from leading hardware engineering, with Tom Marieb taking over the role. Marieb will report to Johny Srouji, who assumes an expanded position as chief hardware officer, aligning hardware development more closely with Apple’s silicon and technology teams.
Cook also used his memo to thank employees, calling them “the most remarkable people in the world” and crediting them for building Apple into what it is today. A town hall has been scheduled at the Steve Jobs Theater to discuss the transition further.
The leadership change also sees Arthur Levinson move to the role of lead independent director, while Ternus joins Apple’s board.
Cook’s tenure has been defined by massive growth and expansion, with Apple’s market value rising from around $350 billion in 2011 to $4 trillion, alongside the launch of new product categories and a booming services business. Ternus, a 25-year Apple veteran, has played a central role in shaping the company’s hardware roadmap, from iPhone and Mac to newer innovations in materials and sustainability.
The transition signals a generational shift, but not a dramatic change in direction. If anything, both memos point to continuity, discipline and a belief that Apple’s next chapter will be built on the same values that shaped its last.
