July 23, 2012: Ford India is set for a change at the head of its marketing, sales and service department. Vinay Piparsania, currently the marketing and sales director of Ford Philippines, will join Ford India as executive director, marketing, sales and service.

Piparsania will replace Nigel Wark, who will move to China to head Ford’s service operations in that country from next month. This move is seen as a big promotion for Wark who is understood to have played a key role in the changing Ford’s fortune in India. Wark was particularly instrumental in bringing down the cost of ownership of Ford models and low running costs is one of the key reasons for the success of the Ford Figo.

Piparsania already had a stint in Ford India as its VP (marketing, sales and service) before taking up another role in Ford’s Asia-Pac operations. He had moved out of Ford to join Hero Corporate Services as its executive vice-president. He moved back to Ford after a short stint with the Hero Group.