Ashley Smith
Purchasing and P&L Leader | Executive MBA
- Role
- Global Director, Ice Propulsion & Thermal Systems at Ford Motor Company
- Location
- Detroit, MI, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Ashley Smith
Global business leader with 15+ years of experience driving transformation, growth, and operational excellence across automotive, commercial truck and industrial sectors. I bring a results-driven mindset, grounded in speed, trust, and a deep commitment to developing high-performing teams.As Global Commodity Director for ICE Propulsion and Thermal Systems (IPTS) at Ford Motor Company, I lead sourcing and cost optimization for $16B+ spend across 100 commodities and over 400 suppliers—including exhaust, air induction, cooling, climate, and powertrain components. My team of 175+ employees spans North America, Europe, South America, and the International Markets Group, delivering strategic change in a rapidly evolving global landscape.Previously, as Senior Director of Global Axles and Drivelines at Cummins (Meritor), I led product strategy and management for a $2B+ portfolio, launching innovations that fueled profitable powertrain growth across international markets.Specialties: strategic problem solving, global product strategy, P&L leadership, change management, supplier and purchasing strategy, employee development, joint-venture leadership, and contract negotiation.
Experience
Global Director, Ice Propulsion & Thermal Systems
Jul 2025 — Present
Education
Michigan State University - Eli Broad College of Business
Master of Business Administration (Executive MBA)
2014 — 2016
Northwood University
Bachelor of Business Administration, Management, International Business and Economics
2005 — 2009
Skills
- Cross-Functional Team Leadership
- Supplier Quality
- Root Cause Analysis
- Casting
- Materials
- Sourcing
- Metal Fabrication
- Manufacturing Operations Management
- Aluminum
- Supply Management
- Production Planning
- Vehicles
- Procurement
- Mrp
- Purchasing
- Value Stream Mapping
- Lean Manufacturing
- Apqp
- Ppap
- Dmaic
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Fmea
- Ts16949
- Supply Chain
- Supplier Development
- 5s
- Supplier Evaluation
- Manufacturing
- Six Sigma
- Supplier Negotiation
- Materials Management
- Pricing
- Parts
- Kanban
- Supply Chain Management
- Jit
- Automotive
- Iso
- Strategic Sourcing
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