DEARBORN, Mich. -

Ford revealed a series of changes within its leadership team, today while also announcing that its chief executive will be staying with the Blue Oval through at least 2014.

Alan Mulally will continue leading the long-term strategic development of the One Ford plan and its continuous improvement, the company shared. At the same time, Mark Fields is named the company's new chief operating officer, effective Dec. 1.

"Today marks an important next step in the profitable growth of the Ford Motor Co. and the appointment of key leaders who will help us continue to make progress on our One Ford plan," Bill Ford, the company's executive chairman, said.

"The strength of our people and stability of our team are competitive advantages for Ford. We are fortunate to have Alan's continued leadership as well as talented senior leaders throughout our company who are developing and working together and delivering on our plan."

Fields will be responsible for all business operations, and he will continue to report to Mullaly.

Ford's automotive business units — The Americas (including both North America and South America); Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Asia Pacific — will report to Fields.

Also reporting to Fields will be most of the company's functional skill teams, including product development; manufacturing and labor affairs; purchasing; quality; sustainability, environment and safety engineering; information technology; government and community relations; marketing, sales and service; and communications.

Highlighting his background with the company, for the past seven years Fields has served as EVP and president of the Americas, where he has been responsible for the transformation of the company's North American operations and its "record profitability."

In the role, he has led the development, manufacturing, marketing and sales of Ford and Lincoln vehicles in the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America.

Prior to being named Ford EVP and president of Ford of The Americas in Oct. 2005, Fields served as EVP, Ford of Europe and Premier Automotive Group.

There, he led all activities for Ford's premium vehicle business group, and for Ford-brand vehicles manufactured and sold in European countries. Prior to that, Fields was chairman and CEO of PAG.

Fields joined the company in 1989.

At the time the news was released, Edmunds.com senior analyst Michelle Krebs offered the following perspective:

"Many of us were skeptical when Alan Mulally arrived at Ford, with his ‘aw shucks’ style of talking and his lacking automotive experience, but it turns out he was just what Ford needed. He immediately saw some obvious problems, such as why the company dropped the well-known and popular Taurus nameplate," she said.

"He instantly brought that back as one of his first actions. More significant, however, he noticed that the Fords sold in various markets were all different. A European Ford Focus, for example, was different from an American Ford Focus," Krebs added, expressing her approval of Mulally's handling of the OEM.

"Mulally set Ford on a course of One Ford around the globe, and above all, he set a winning course and stuck with it, something the zig-zagging Ford Motor Co. had not experienced since perhaps the Model T," she continued.

Krebs also expressed enthusiasm for Fields and his potential: "Mark Fields earned his stripes heading North American operations and turning them around, both on the cost side — by closing plants and cutting jobs — and the revenue side — by overseeing the launch of a long string of significant and ultimately successful new models.  North America is the bright spot for Ford as demonstrated by the automaker’s most recent earnings performance."

Jesse Toprak, senior analyst at TrueCar.com, also offered his take:

"Mark Fields is the natural choice for the COO post at for Ford as he is an excellent strategist with a deep understanding of all facets of the company. His international experience will be an added bonus for Ford as the bulk of their growth is expected to come from outside of the North American market in the next decade. European market can particularly benefit from Field's carefully calculated progressive management style,” he said.

The company also made several other concurrent leadership announcements, also effective Dec. 1, including:

—Joe Hinrichs is named EVP and president of The Americas; Hinrichs is currently group VP and president of Asia Pacific Africa. The new EVP “has led Ford's Asia Pacific growth plan for the past three years, overseeing the current construction of nine new plants and spearheading a commitment to bring more than 50 new vehicles and powertrains to the region by mid-decade,” the company shared. In his new role, he will focus on continuing the momentum in North America and building a stronger business for Ford in South America.

—Stephen Odell is named EVP and president of Europe, Middle East and Africa; Odell is currently group VP, chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe. "Africa is being realigned with Europe and the Middle East under Odell to take advantage of profitable growth opportunities and efficiencies,” officials said.

Odell "is leading Ford's transformation in Europe, with a focus on using the One Ford plan to achieve profitable growth through an unprecedented focus on new products, a strong brand and increased cost efficiency,” the company shared. Having previously led the transformation of Mazda and Volvo, Odell will lead the company's focus on growth in Africa and the Middle East in his new position.

—Jim Farley is named EVP of global marketing, sales and service and Lincoln. Farley, who is currently a group vice president, now holds operating responsibility as the senior global leader for Lincoln, "working together with the company's business units and functions on the re-invention of Lincoln as a world-class, global luxury brand.” Farley will continue to lead Ford's global Marketing, Sales and Service, with a focus on new customers and revenue growth. “His new global responsibility for the Lincoln brand will build on his experience growing Toyota's Lexus brand around the world."

—David Schoch is named group VP and president of Asia Pacific; Schoch is currently chairman and CEO, Ford of China. Schoch has been leading Ford's growth in China, where it has invested more than $4.9 billion to introduce 15 new vehicles by 2015 and double production capacity, officials shared.  Schoch now will lead the company's growth plan for the entire region, having worked alongside Hinrichs for the past year.

—John Lawler is elected a Ford Motor Co. VP and named chairman and CEO of Ford Motor China. Lawler is currently chief financial officer, Ford Asia Pacific Africa. Lawler assumes leadership of Ford Motor China, having served as CFO for Asia Pacific Africa, working alongside Hinrichs and Schoch to develop and implement the company's aggressive growth plan in the region.

"Building on his considerable global operational experience – including being part of the team that led Ford's North American transformation – Lawler now will focus on the world's largest automotive market and the dramatic expansion of Ford's presence in China," officials added.

Commenting on the new additions and changes to the leadership team, Mulally said, "In addition to fundamentally transforming our company during the last several years, we have strengthened our team with world-class leaders who will enable us to sustain our One Ford journey.

"All of us at Ford remain absolutely committed to continuing to make progress on our One Ford plan, including dealing decisively with near-term challenges, investing for future growth and developing outstanding products with leading quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value,” he concluded.