Biography: Hau Thai-Tang

Hau Thai-Tang was appointed a corporate officer and named Ford Motor Company’s vice president, Engineering, Global Product Development, effective April 1, 2012. Thai-Tang oversees engineering for car, truck, SUV and crossover vehicles for the Ford and Lincoln brands.

 

He previously served as executive director, Global Product Programs.

 

In his previous role as director, Product Development, Ford South America Operations (FSAO), Thai-Tang was responsible for developing vehicles for the South American market and leading the development of FSAO as an engineering center for Ford in the Americas.

 

Prior to this assignment, Hau served as director, Advanced Product Creation and Special Vehicle Team where he led design and development of Ford's new product programs and was responsible for the SVT high performance group.

Thai-Tang previously served as chief engineer for the Mustang program, leading the development and launch of the 2005 model year Mustang. He also served as chief engineer for Vehicle Engineering in Ford’s North American Car, Lifestyle Vehicles business unit. As vehicle engineering chief, he led the functional attribute development of the Ford Thunderbird, Mustang, and Windstar vehicle lines.

Thai-Tang has also served as vehicle engineering manager on the Lincoln LS, an international assignment in Cologne, Germany. Thai-Tang served as race engineer for Nigel Mansell and Mario Andretti on Ford’s Newman/Haas IndyCar team in 1993. His efforts contributed to six victories, eleven podium finishes and the overall driver’s and manufacturer’s championship.

Thai-Tang was awarded the Young Leadership and Excellence Award by the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2001. He also was named the Asian Executive of the Year by On Wheels Inc. in 2006.

He received a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University in 1988, and an MBA, with distinction, from the University of Michigan in 1993. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, Thai-Tang joined Ford as a Ford College Graduate trainee in 1988.

 

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February 2012