Ford China Official Announcement! Yang Meihong Retires at End of This Month, Li Fangfang to Take Over

Editor | Cheng Peng, Pei Jianru, Du Bo Proofreader | Chen Kemin

On March 2nd, Ford Motor (China) Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Ford China) announced a personnel change. Vice President of Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility at Ford China, Yang Meihong, will retire at the end of March this year. Li Fangfang, currently Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Lincoln China, will succeed her. The appointment will take effect on April 1st.

Public information shows that Yang Meihong entered the automotive industry in 1993. She has served as Assistant Chief Representative at Hyundai Motor Beijing Office, Manager of Media and Community Relations at Ford China, Director of Communications for Pepsi International Group China, PR and Communications Director and Vice President at Volkswagen Group (China), and Vice President of Public Relations and CSR at Brilliance BMW Automotive.

On June 18, 2021, Yang Meihong returned to Ford China as Vice President of Communications and CSR, reporting to then-President Chen Anning and now-President Wu Shengbo. She was responsible for corporate communications, brand messaging, media relations, and CSR projects across Ford China.

Wu Shengbo, Vice President of Ford Motor Company and President & CEO of Ford China and International Markets Group, highly praised Yang Meihong’s contributions, calling her one of the most influential female leaders in the automotive industry. Wu Shengbo stated that during her nearly five-year tenure, Yang Meihong leveraged her deep industry experience to promote the widespread dissemination of Ford’s “Go Wild” brand proposition.

Li Fangfang, her successor, has extensive media experience and cross-national automotive brand communication expertise. She began her career at China Daily, then moved into the automotive industry, working at Jaguar Land Rover China and other companies, gaining practical experience in corporate communication, brand building, and media engagement.

It is reported that since 2023, Li Fangfang has served as Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Lincoln China. During her three-year tenure, she has completed multiple brand communication projects and gained recognition from Ford China’s management. Wu Shengbo expressed his expectation that Li Fangfang will lead Ford China’s communication team to further enhance corporate reputation, deepen market engagement, and inject new vitality into the company’s business development.

It is noteworthy that Yang Meihong’s five-year tenure at Ford China coincided with a critical period of deep restructuring in Ford’s Chinese market. In the CSR field, she continued to promote core projects such as the Ford Environmental Award, explored eco-tourism paths to support rural community development, and coordinated efforts to promote ecological protection and rural prosperity. She integrated CSR with brand building, enriching Ford’s social value. Additionally, she spent ten years working on the Ford brand, laying a solid foundation in communication system development, media relations, and brand image shaping.

By 2026, Ford China plans to intensify efforts in three key areas: new energy vehicles, offline experience stores, and brand marketing. The company aims to launch the all-new Ford Mach-E and multiple new energy SUV models, creating a family of new energy products with the “Wild” DNA. Relying on an integrated distribution network, Ford will focus on value-driven marketing and community engagement, attempting to break through the confusion surrounding brand perception.

Currently, Ford China is at a critical stage of channel integration and new energy product deployment. How to strengthen the core message of “Go Wild” through brand communication and ensure that the new product lineup and channel system are recognized by the market will be the key challenge for Li Fangfang after her appointment.