Ford Europe just pulled off quite the talent grab. Effective October 1st, Maria Grazia Davino is stepping into the hot seat as the new Vice President of Sales for Ford Europe. Operating out of Cologne and reporting directly to European President Jim Baumbick, Davino is taking on the daunting task of spearheading sales, distribution, retail operations, and, most crucially, managing the fragile psychology of Ford’s European dealer network.
Calling Ford’s passenger car division in Europe “troubled” over recent years would be a polite understatement. While Ford Pro has been quietly printing money on the back of its commercial vehicle lineup, the passenger car side has felt like a ghost town awaiting a miraculous reboot. With five brand-new, tech-drenched, electrified models slated to hit showrooms soon, the Blue Oval desperately needs someone who knows how to translate corporate product offensives into actual showroom orders and vehicle registrations.
Davino is a veteran executive who has practically seen every corner of the industry. She began her career in sales and marketing at Lamborghini before navigating the complex hallways of Fiat Chrysler. When Stellantis emerged in 2021, she found herself juggling an entire circus of distinct brands, ranging from Alfa Romeo and Jeep to Peugeot and Citroën, as Head of Commercial Operations for Enlarged Europe.
Along the way, she spearheaded the rollout of the controversial “agency model”, a distribution overhaul that gave traditional dealership owners collective heartburn. Later, taking charge of Stellantis UK in 2023, she earned rare industry respect by publicly admitting corporate billing errors and actively rebuilding broken partner trust.
After a brief stint steering the aggressive expansion of Chinese EV juggernaut BYD across Central and Northern Europe, Davino brings a rare hybrid playbook to Cologne. She thoroughly understands both the bureaucratic machinery of legacy Western giants and the lightning-fast methods of Chinese newcomers.