Ford CEO Alan Mulally is FT Person of the Year

BRENTWOOD, Essex, 29th March, 2011 – Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally has been recognised as Person of the Year in the third annual FT ArcelorMittal Boldness in Business Awards.

The awards recognise companies and individuals who have challenged the status quo and taken calculated risks to drive their business forward in the face of current economic uncertainty.

Alan Mulally was commended for the turnaround plan that has allowed Ford to emerge from the financial crisis with sustained profitability.

It was also recognised that Ford did not rely on a government bailout and that Ford today is the most profitable car company in North America, having managed to change customer perceptions and earn a higher margin per vehicle sold.

Lionel Barber, editor, Financial Times, said: “This is the third year of the FT ArcelorMittal Boldness in Business Awards and while the market remains undeniably challenging our shortlisted companies and individuals have displayed an inspiring ability to innovate and drive change. I would like to congratulate all of the winners for their dedication and boldness in driving their businesses above and beyond the competition.”

Lakshmi Mittal, Chairman and CEO, ArcelorMittal, said: “This has been another strong year for the FT ArcelorMittal Boldness in Business Awards with an impressive array of winners and shortlisted companies. All the companies are inspirational and we should pause to consider what it takes to be bold like them. Think of the decisions that faced Alan Mulally at Ford when he chose to radically restructure the business or the strength of vision that inspired Apple to be a pioneer in the tablet market. They

have all taken challenging, perhaps at times controversial paths, but ones that have ultimately proved highly successful. It takes courage to do this and I hope these awards will act as an inspiration to others.”

The judges for this year’s awards were:

• Lionel Barber, Editor, Financial Times
• Lakshmi Mittal, Chairman and CEO, ArcelorMittal
• John Authers, Head of the Lex Column, Financial Times
• J Frank Brown, Dean, INSEAD
• Luke Johnson, Chairman, Risk Capital Partners
• Anne Méaux, Founder & President, Image Sept
• Terry Smith, Chief Executive, Tullet Prebon and founder of Fundsmith
• Leo Johnson, Partner, PWC