Shock as Ford boss Nasser goes

WORKERS at car giant Ford were today waiting for news of how a huge shake-up at the top of the company will affect UK jobs.

Chief executive Jacques Nasser - known as 'Jack the Knife' because of his sweeping jobs cuts - is believed to have been replaced by the company's chairman William Clay Ford Jr, the great grandson of the company's founder Henry Ford.

In other executive changes, British-born Nick Scheele will switch from vice-president North America to chief operating officer.

The shake-up follows pressure from shareholders for action to stem losses and regain lost market share. The economic downturn in the US has hit the fortunes of Ford which is expected to announce a so-called turnaround plan later this year.

Nasser, born in Lebanon but brought up in Australia, worked for Ford for more than 30 years. He was regarded by colleagues and union officials as a tough negotiator. He was in charge during huge changes in Ford's operation in the UK including the decision to end car production at the huge Dagenham plant in Essex next spring.

Scheele briefly worked as head of Ford Euro and was also closely involved in the decision to stop building Fiesta cars at Dagenham.

Roger Lyons, General Secretary of the Manufacturing Science and Finance Union said: 'We hope the new management set-up will help turn around the company's fortunes and will not impact on jobs in this country.'

Union officials said they respected Nasser's ability, despite their disagreements over job losses. Tony Woodley, national officer of the Transport and General Workers' Union, said he was shocked but not surprised at Nasser's departure.

'In spite of his qualities there is no doubt there has been major criticism about the direction the company was going in and the way he had handled the company's losses. He obviously took the knife to car-making at Dagenham and tried to do the same at Halewood. But irrespective of those decisions he was an incredibly capable man.'