Ford Establishes New Division With Former Apple Exec Head

Ford has appointed Peter Stern, a former Apple executive, as the head of the newly established Ford Integrated Services division.

This unit develops and offers software-enabled customer experiences for Ford Blue, Model e, and Ford Pro.

Stern brings a wealth of experience from his role as Vice President of Services at Apple, where helped in launching Apple's suite of services, such as Apple TV+, Apple News+, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, MLS Season Pass, and Apple One, during his tenure that spanned over six years until January 2023.

Creating Customer-Centric Software Experiences

Stern, who reports to President and CEO Jim Farley, will:

• Build out the business tied to Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system and productivity and safety/security services, including those from the Ford Pro Intelligence business,
• Imagine and deliver exciting new high-value services, and
• Lead services marketing, certain out-of-vehicle customer experiences and Ford Next.

Ford has over 550,000 paid software and services subscribers, with Ford Pro commercial customers today accounting for over 80% of them.

Stern said he was motivated to join Ford to help transform the company with valuable and affordable services for millions of customers.

Before joining Apple in 2016, Stern was Time Warner Cable’s EVP and chief product, people and strategy officer. He began his career at McKinsey & Co.

Stern earned a juris doctor degree from Yale Law School, where he was an editor of the Yale Law Journal and author of the book Connecticut Prisoners’ Rights. He subsequently became a member of both the New York and Connecticut bars. Stern has a bachelor’s degree in music and English from Harvard University.