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As effective of Johnston’s appointment, Josephine Payne, who has been serving as President, Craiova plant since 2021, will assume the role of Deputy General Manager, Ford Otosan. As Deputy General Manager, Payne will work closely with the senior management team to drive the strategic direction of the company, while also overseeing key functional areas such as engineering, design, procurement, quality and national sales. 
Johnston joined Ford Otosan in 2019 as Ford Otosan Deputy General Manager. He earned both his bachelor’s degree in Economics and Master’s degree in Manufacturing Leadership from Cambridge University. He also holds a CIMA accountancy qualification. He joined Ford of Britain in 1995, and through 2003 held a variety of Finance positions in Manufacturing, Product Development, Profit Analysis, and Marketing and Sales. From 2003-2010, he held many managerial responsibilities in Ford’s Premier Automotive Group, before serving as Product Development Controller for Medium and Large Cars, Asia Pacific. Before returning to Europe in 2013, he spent two years as CFO of ASEAN region in Bangkok. He served as the European PD Controller, and the European Manufacturing Controller and then performed the role of Global Vehicle Program Controller in Germany. He performed as CFO, Ford Asia Pacific based in Shanghai between 2017 and 2018. Before assigning as Ford Otosan Deputy General Manager and the member of Board of Directors, effective as of 1st August 2019, he was CFO, Ford China, between 2018 and 2019.

Payne joined Ford Otosan as Ford Otosan Craiova President after the transfer of ownership of the Craiova Plant from Ford of Europe to Ford Otosan in 2022. She graduated from the University of Southampton’s Electronic Engineering Department, and she received her master’s degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Karlsruhe. She joined Ford of Europe in 1996 and, through 2013, held many manufacturing responsibilities in Liverpool, Cologne and Dunton. She served as Global Powertrain Assembly Manager in Ford North of America between 2013 and 2017. She returned to Ford of Europe as Production Area Manager (Dagenham) in 2017. Payne, who was appointed as Craiova Engine Plant Manager in 2018, held the positions of Assistant Plant Manager - Craiova Vehicle Operations and Ford Romania President & Craiova Site Director in Ford Romania between 2018-2022.