The head of Apple’s nascent car programme has jumped ship for Ford, Kallanish reports. 

Doug Field is now Ford’s chief advanced technology and embedded systems officer. He was formerly Apple’s vice president of special projects. Prior to his service with Apple, he served with Tesla as senior vice president of engineering. 

“Doug is one of the world’s most respected engineering and product design leaders and has been a driving force behind breakthrough products across auto, tech and mobility, including at Apple, Tesla and Segway,” says Ford ceo Jim Farley. “His talent and commitment to innovation that improves customers’ lives will be invaluable as we build out our Ford+ plan to deliver awesome products, always-on customer relationships and ever-improving user experiences.”

Field served as a development engineer at Ford from 1987 to 1993. 

“I’ve always felt a deep connection to Ford. Ford products have been in my life as long as I can remember – F-150s on my dad’s farm, a ’65 Continental picking us up at my wedding and my thrill when I discovered the brilliant elegance in the design of the Model T,” Field says. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to help the team build the next generation of iconic Ford vehicles and prepare Ford for the next hundred years.”