Search widens for new FPV chief to replace Flint

FORD Performance Vehicles (FPV) will be without a managing director from next week after the failure of an extensive search for candidates to replace David Flint.

Flint retires this Friday after almost 15 years in the job.

FPV announced the sudden departure of its long-serving chief last week, however an extensive search for a successor to lead the Blue Oval’s performance brand has so far proved fruitless, leaving the UK-based chief operating officer of parent company Prodrive, Clive Scrivener, in charge of FPV’s strategic management.

FPV spokesman Andrew MacLean this week confirmed the company’s headhunt for Mr Flint’s replacement had been forced back to the drawing board.

"We obviously don’t want to rush into an appointment," he said. "As a result of our search for a replacement we had a shortlist which we’ve been through and none of those final candidates proves suitable.

"That’s a positive in one aspect in the fact that we recognise the type of person that we need and we’re not about to comprise on that. We’re still conducting an extensive search to find the most suitable person for that role and we’ll announce the result in good time when the right person comes up."Mr MacLean confirmed Mr Scrivener would continue to oversee the strategic management of FPV until that time, but stressed it would be “business as usual” in the interim.

"Yes, we’ll be without a direct boss and, yes, Clive Scrivener is based in the UK. But what’s happened over the past three years that we’ve been FPV is that we’ve actually got a very strong team of people here that will continue with the day-to-day running of the business.

"Strategically, above and beyond that at a board level the Prodrive and Ford people will continue to make those decisions until we have a managing director appointed.

"But the likelihood is that there will be a period of time where we don’t have a direct managing director in the role."Mr MacLean confirmed Mr Flint’s heir will be approved by Prodrive headquarters in the UK, but that FPV hopes to appoint an Australian MD.

"Certainly Prodrive’s global resources are very wide reaching but I think we recognise this is a unique business here in Australia and we have unique requirements. They have to understand the marketplace and so I wouldn’t be surprised if we’d be looking in our own backyard first before we go further than that.

"We may have to widen the net but I think it’s imperative that we have someone that understands the niche segment that we operate in."FPV is a joint venture between Prodrive (51 per cent) and Ford Australia (49 per cent).