DETROIT – Scott Tobin, a major architect of Lincoln's turnaround as director of product development, is leaving the company after an almost 30-year career, Automotive News has learned.
A Ford spokesman on Monday confirmed the abrupt departure and said that Tobin, 53, has decided to retire on 1 November. Phil Collareno, currently Executive Director of North America and Global Product Program, will temporarily replace Tobin. The spokesman did not comment on why Tobin chose to retire.
Tobin has been working at Ford in various technical roles since 1989, both in the United States and in Europe, where he was head of quality from 2003 to 2006.
While working in the United States, Tobin worked on a number of vehicle programs, including the Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX, Taurus, Flex, Explorer and Mustang.
He was appointed director of Lincoln's product development in November 2011, according to his Linkedin profile. As head of product development, Tobin was given the task of "transforming culture & # 39 ;," to improve profits and implement customer experiences.
He led the overhaul of the Lincoln line-up, including the highly acclaimed redesign of the Navigator SUV, which won the North American Truck of the Year award in 2018.