Graham Pearson is executive director, Asia Pacific Product Development. Based in Shanghai, China, Pearson is responsible for the development and introduction of key nameplates to deliver on Ford’s aggressive plan to bring more than 50 new vehicles to China by 2025, while also overseeing the company’s Asia Pacific-led vehicle programs, and product development (PD) facilities in China and Australia.

Previously, Pearson served as vehicle line director, Cars and SUVs for Ford Asia Pacific, where he managed all car/SUV business in the Asia Pacific region, including coordination of engineering, purchasing, marketing, finance and manufacturing, to deliver all products to Asia Pacific markets.

He also served as director, Asia Pacific C Car/SUV Vehicle Lines, where he led the AP all-new Ford Focus and Kuga in China and Ford Lio HO Taiwan and the Ford Focus at Ford Thailand Manufacturing. He had earlier been segment chief, Asia Pacific, for Midsize Car products, and director for Product Development and Supplier Technical Assistance at Changan Ford Mazda Automobile, based in Chongqing, China.

Prior to China, Pearson was based in Melbourne as chief program engineer for the Ford Territory. In addition, he has held Test, Planning and Body Engineering managerial positions at Ford of Australia.

Pearson joined Ford of Australia in 1988, working in body electronics engineering in Geelong. He moved to Dearborn, Michigan in 1991 as a supervisor in Vehicle Safety Development for five years.

Over his 31-year career with the company, Pearson has served in a variety of product development positions in China, Australia and the U.S., and has worked extensively across India, Thailand and other markets.

Graham has an MBA from Deakin University in Geelong, Victoria, and received a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with first class honors from James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland.