Geoff Polites

Geoffrey Paul Polites (5 November 1947 – 20 April 2008) was an Australian automotive executive. He was notable for being the chief executive officer of Jaguar Land Rover and the president of Ford Australia.

Early life and education

Polites was born in Melbourne,Herald Sun, Melbourne-born Ford executive Geoff Polites dies in hometown, 21 April 200

Retrieved 16 September 2015 and educated at Cheltenham Secondary College, Cheltenham High School, before going on to study economics at Monash University, graduating with first class honours.The Age, Obituary: Geoff Polites, ex-Ford boss, 23 April 200

Retrieved 16 September 2015

Career

Ford

He joined Ford Australia in 1970 as a product planner and after two years, he joined the company's graduate training program in the United States, working in product planning and marketing plans before moving to Europe for further development in product planning.Go Auto, Global Jaguar and Land Rover CEO, Australian Geoff Polites, loses battle with cancer, 21 April 200

. Retrieved 16 September 2015

In 1975 he was appointed marketing plans and research manager at Ford Australia. Two years later he became southern region country sales manager before returning to head office in 1979 as merchandising manager. He moved to Sydney in 1981 as eastern regional manager then returned again to head office in 1985 to become general sales manager.

City Ford

In July 1988, he took an unusualThe Independent, Obituaries: Geoff Polites: Jaguar Land Rover chief executive, 23 April 200

Retrieved 16 September 2015 career move by resigning from Ford, to become the dealer principal of City Ford Dealership in central Sydneymotoring.com.au, Geoff Polites dies after two-year battle, 20 April 200

Retrieved 16 September 2015 spending 11 years selling the products to customers against stiff opposition from Japanese imports. As a Ford dealer, he was named Ford Australia's Dealer of the Year on three occasions, and also won the coveted Ford President's Award three times. He also served on the Ford National Dealer Council for five years, and was the Council chairman in 1998.

Ford Australia

Following a phone call from future Ford CEO Jacques Nasser,Drive, Car chief tough on and off the field, 23 April 200

Retrieved 16 September 2015 he sold his interests in City Ford in 1999 and became president of Ford Australia where he shook things up, scrapping executive perks such as in-house executive lunches, car washes and refuelling service.Automotive News, Geoff Polites: Cars and a whole lot more, 28 April 200

Retrieved 25 January 2016 He was responsible for getting Ford Australia back into motor racing and performance cars, including the highly regarded Falcon Turbo. He was personally involved in recruiting Holden V8 racing star Craig Lowndes, who defected to Ford in 2001. Under his tenure, he oversaw the revamping of the Ford Falcon range with the introduction of the 2002 Falcon (BA) which included the Falcon Turbo. He also personally championed the development of the Ford Territory softroader where in 2000, Polites travelled to Detroit with a scale model of the vehicle. From his time as a dealer, he saw a market for a vehicle with the roominess of a four-wheel-drive but which drove like a car. He did not come up with the idea but he asked for and got $500 million to fund the project at a time when Ford globally was rapidly losing money.

Ford of Europe

His efforts in Australia were recognised by Ford, who reassigned him to Ford of Europe in Cologne in April 2004, first as vice-president, European Sales Staff before becoming the vice-president of marketing, sales and service in October 2004, reporting to Lewis Booth, chairman and CEO of Ford of Europe.The Auto Channel, Ford Announces Exec Changes, 10 September 200

Retrieved 16 September 2015

Jaguar Land Rover

In September 2005, Polites was appointed CEO of Jaguar Cars, Jaguar and Land Rover, reporting to Mark Fields, executive vice-president, Premier Automotive Group,Just Auto, USA: Ford names executives to new PAG posts, 20 July 200

. Retrieved 16 September 2015 a move he described as "a complete shock". He was tasked to turn around the operations, both of which had been unprofitable for many years. This included integrating their British manufacturing and back office operations as well as overseeing launches of new models such as the 2005 Range Rover Sport, 2006 Jaguar XK, 2006 Land Rover Freelander, and 2008 Jaguar XF. Under his leadership the combined JLR business returned to profit culminating in the sale of the marques to Tata Motors.''Car Magazine'', Jaguar Land Rover boss dies (2008), 21 April 200

Retrieved 16 September 2015 He had intended to stay on with Jaguar Land Rover under Tata ownership.Autocar, Geoff Polites: a great ma

Retrieved 16 September 2015

Death

Having battled bowel cancer for two years, Polites died in April 2008 on a visit to Australia. He had hoped to see the birth of his first grandchild but his health deteriorated rapidly, preventing that.

At the time, his contemporaries paid tribute to him:
– Alan Mulally, President and CEO, Ford Motor Company

– Lewis Booth, Executive Vice-President, Ford Motor Company; Chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe and Premier Automotive Group

Personal life

Australian Rules Football was a passion and in his spare time, Polites was a leading umpire, officiating in 39 senior Victorian Football League matches from 1976–1979. At one stage he was mentioned as a possible CEO of the AFL – and the Sydney Swans were a passion. For 12 years before he left Sydney, he had been a runner, selector and assistant coach at the Swans.

Polites was a fan of the band AC/DC, French singer Charles Trenet, and identified Winston Churchill, George Patton, Erwin Rommel, and John Walker as heroes.

He was married with two sons, and was fond of his Maltese Shih Tzu named Don. He had a brother, Colin, a lawyer and presidential member of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, who also succumbed to bowel cancer in 2003, at 57.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Polites, Geoff
1947 births
2008 deaths
Deaths from cancer in Victoria (state)
Australian Football League umpires
Australian chief executives
Ford executives
Businesspeople from Melbourne
Australian people of Greek descent