But Ford politics, while less raucous than in earlier eras, aren’t easy to read. The family, with stock holdings that give it 40 percent of the vote, has been itching for more board power. Billy will scratch that itch. Still, some insiders say his new post is no guarantee he’ll get the top job; they’re betting on cousin Edsel Ford II, 45. Billy has some perceived advantages, including a Princeton-MIT pedigree and a broad range of Ford jobs. Edsel struggled through Babson College and has a less varied resume. Still, to take the job, Billy relinquishes any operating role, while Edsel remains head of the highly profitable Ford Motor Credit Co. Asked about the future, execs were noncommittal. “I want to be as nebulous as possible on this,” said Edsel. Ultimately, Ford sources say, both cousins could get a turn at the wheel.
Putting Ford into family hands may be inevitable, but it’s no guarantee of success. In the hands of nonfamily CEOs, Ford became the first U.S. automaker to restore Detroit’s dignity. A massive reorganization being led by CEO Trotman will probably affect Ford more than any dynastic succession. And even for the Ford family, that should be Job One.
