Contact us 1.800.698.2536
Search by Speaker Name or Topic

James Hackett

Former President & CEO of Ford Motor Company

James Hackett
Travels From Travels From:
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
Live Event: Please Contact
Virtual Event: Please Contact
More Fee Info
Categories Categories:
Categories Categories:
Business, Business Growth, Business Leadership, Design, Executive Leadership, Leadership, Manufacturing, Marketing, Sales, Strategic Leadership
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

James Hackett Biography

James Hackett is an American businessman. He was the president and chief executive officer of Ford Motor Company from May 2017 to October 2020.

Hackett spent thirty years with the Grand Rapids-based office furniture company Steelcase. He joined Steelcase in 1981, holding a variety of sales and marketing positions. In 1994, Hackett was named CEO at age 39, making him the youngest leader in the history of the company. He held the position for nearly twenty years before retiring in 2014. During his tenure, Steelcase eliminated nearly 12,000 employees as part of a downsizing and restructuring of the business; he also led the company to acquire a majority stake in IDEO in 1996. During this time Hackett became a proponent of design thinking, which focuses on how humans experience a product. Hackett stayed on as vice chairman of the company from 2014 to 2015.

He was interim director of athletics at the University of Michigan, his alma mater, from October 31, 2014 to March 11, 2016. Hackett led the hiring of former San Francisco 49ers’ coach and fellow University of Michigan alumnus Jim Harbaugh as the university's football coach. He donated $300,000 of his annual $600,000 salary as interim athletic director to "Athletes Connected," a program that's designed to support the mental health of student-athletes.

In 2013, Hackett joined the Ford Motor Company's board of directors. He served on its Sustainability and Innovation Committee and the Audit and the Nominating and Governance committees.

Hackett oversaw the formation of Ford Smart Mobility, a unit responsible for experimenting with car-sharing programs at Ford Motor Company, self-driving ventures and other programs aimed at helping Ford better compete with Uber, Alphabet Inc. and other tech giants looking to edge in on the auto industry.

On May 22, 2017, Hackett succeeded Mark Fields as president and CEO of Ford Motor Company. He was also a member of the company's board of directors. The move came as Ford announced cuts to its global workforce amid efforts to address the company's declining share price and improve profits. The company targeted $3 billion in cost reductions and a nearly 10 percent reduction in the salaried workforce in Asia and North America to enhance earnings in 2018.

Hackett serves on the board of directors for Northwestern Mutual Life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the Steelcase Foundation in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is a member of the executive committee of the board of directors for the National Center for Arts and Technology, as well as the boards of advisors to the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and the Life Sciences Institute at the University of Michigan. Additionally, he is a past president of the Institute of Design Board of Overseers at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

In January 2019, Hackett sent an email to Ford employees that read, "2018 was mediocre by any standard. Yes, we made $7 billion last year. But think of it this way: this represents a 4.4 percent operating margin, about half what we believe is an appropriate margin. So we are aiming for much closer to $14 billion.”

On August 4, 2020, Ford announced that COO Jim Farley would succeed Hackett as the CEO of Ford on October 1, 2020. Hackett retired and become a special adviser until March 2021.

Hackett holds a position on the Board of Directors for State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on James Hackett and other top speakers and celebrities.

BOOK James Hackett

James Hackett Videos

  • A Message from Ford CEO Jim Hackett | Ford
    A Message from Ford CEO Jim Hackett | Ford
    For more than a century, Ford has been a family company that’s helped through many challenges – and we are proud to do it again. From producing...
See All Videos »

FAQs on booking James Hackett

  • How do I book James Hackett to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like James Hackett for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for James Hackett, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for James Hackett or any other speaker of your choice.

  • What are the speaker fees for James Hackett

    Speaking fees for James Hackett, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book James Hackett are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire James Hackett, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

  • What topics does James Hackett speak about?

    James Hackett is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Business, Business Growth, Business Leadership, Design, Executive Leadership, Leadership, Manufacturing, Marketing, Sales, Strategic Leadership.

  • Where does James Hackett travel from?

    James Hackett generally travels from Grand Rapids, MI, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

  • Who is James Hackett’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like James Hackett for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book James Hackett for your next private or corporate function.

  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host James Hackett or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

James Hackett is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book James Hackett for your event is available upon request. James Hackett generally travels from Grand Rapids, MI, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are . Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling James Hackett for an upcoming live or virtual event.

BOOK James Hackett

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

Need Quick Answers?

We are happy to help! Call us to speak with a booking agent about your event or specific speaker request.

Sarah Miller
phone   1.800.698.2536
Our celebrity booking agents can:

  • Gauge interest and check availability for speaking engagements, appearances or corporate events

  • Provide you with the speaking fee to book James Hackett or other celebrity appearance fees

  • Give you personal recommendations for the best keynote speakers or celebrities

  • Assist you with any questions you have throughout the talent booking process

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP