WBS alum Jeffrey Scott: Steering smarter, greener fleet solutions at Ford

Jeffrey Scott (MBA, 2005), Fleet Service Solutions Manager, Customer Service Division (DACH) for Ford Werke, Germany, has built an international career spanning more than four decades in the automotive industry. He has held senior leadership roles across some of the world’s most recognisable brands, including General Manager at Lexus, Managing Director at Jaguar Land Rover in Germany, and Managing Director and European Regional Director at Aston Martin Lagonda Europe.

A Warwick Business School MBA alum, Jeffrey reflects on how his studies helped broaden his strategic perspective. From learning alongside a diverse, global cohort to applying theory directly to real-world challenges, he explains how WBS shaped his leadership approach and continues to influence his work at Ford today.

How did your time at Warwick Business School shape your career, and what led you to your current role at Ford?

I started my studies in the US but settled in Germany following a period of military service. Between 1980 and 1986, I completed my degree and began working in the automotive sector, building experience with brands such as Saab, Toyota and Lexus before joining Jaguar, which at the time was part of Ford.

Ford was an incredible place to develop deep industry expertise. It had a rich heritage, strong engineering focus, and a dynamic working environment – where hands-on experience was key. But moving within the organisation opened up a whole new world. With broader global strategies and complex systems to navigate. I realised that to thrive, I had to step back and see the bigger picture.

That realisation led me to pursue an MBA at Warwick Business School. I joined as part of a Ford-sponsored programme alongside other team members, and we collectively chose WBS for the breadth of capability it offered. The flexibility of the programme was crucial at that stage of my life — balancing a new job, a move to London and intensive study. The structure allowed for on-campus collaboration alongside online learning, which made it possible to fully engage without stepping away from my career.

What stood out most was the diversity of the cohort. Studying alongside people from different industries, cultures and career stages challenged my assumptions and expanded my thinking. You don’t just learn from the curriculum, you learn from each other. Many of those connections have stayed with me, and we’re still in touch years later.

The faculty were also incredibly supportive throughout the three years. Whenever someone faced a challenge, there were always options and solutions available. That sense of support, and of being part of a community, has stayed with me well beyond graduation.

What aspects of the WBS learning experience had the biggest impact on your leadership approach?

One of the most influential elements was how theory was consistently linked to practice. I vividly remember a marketing professor who taught brand positioning not as an abstract concept, but as something that plays out differently across global markets. We examined how ambition meets reality, and how strategy must adapt in real-world conditions.

My dissertation focused on marketing a well-known Ford brand, Transit, analysing its values, positioning and long-term strategy. That work directly connected my studies with challenges I was dealing with professionally, and it’s an approach that really defines the WBS experience.

Another standout feature was the wider ecosystem around the programme. From newsletters highlighting emerging ideas and opportunities, to speaking at the Warwick Business School graduation ceremony in 2025 which was a real highlight, it reinforced that sense of belonging. Your relationship with WBS doesn’t end when you receive your certificate, it’s an ongoing collaboration.

Even today, I regularly connect with fellow alumni across different industries. Whether it’s a quick conversation, feedback on an idea, or a book recommendation, that network continues to add real value.

How is Ford approaching sustainability in its fleet solutions, and what role does innovation play?

Ford’s approach to sustainability goes beyond just selling vehicles; it’s about creating a complete ecosystem that maximises uptime and efficiency for customers. For businesses, their vehicle is their most important tool. If it’s off the road, their work stops, their customers are dissatisfied, and their business models suffer.

To minimise downtime, Ford focuses on tailored solutions by building the right vehicles for each job, offering mobile servicing to keep them running without disruption, and using telematics to monitor vehicle health in real time. Since 2018, every Ford commercial vehicle has had built-in telematics, allowing proactive maintenance and reducing unexpected failures.

This ecosystem benefits businesses by keeping their fleets operational while also making operations more sustainable. By reducing vehicle downtime, improving servicing efficiency, and optimising fleet management, Ford helps businesses run smarter and more sustainably ensuring their essential vehicles are always ready for the job.

How has learning from other industries shaped your thinking?

Learning from outside influences is one of the most valuable takeaways from my time studying at Warwick.

One of the biggest lessons I learned, both in my career and through my studies, was the importance of thinking beyond the obvious. Instead of only analysing competitors within the automotive industry, I started looking at completely different sectors. Why do other industries approach similar challenges differently? Why are they sometimes better at it?

If we only look to other automotive brands for inspiration, we create an echo chamber where everyone makes the same decisions at the same time. That’s why so many cars end up looking alike, with the same colours, the same technology and features , leading to the familiar complaint that everything feels indistinguishable.

Did you always know this was your path, or did you end up here by accident?

I actually wanted to be an anthropologist. Somewhere along the way, I took a wrong turn, or maybe the right one, depending on how you look at it. I think career paths are rarely as planned as they seem on paper. It’s a mix of skill, personality, and luck! Being in the right place, at the right time, with the right people can completely change your path. But once you land in a role, what you do with it matters just as much.

For me, that meant taking on projects that weren’t working, developing a strategy, and focusing on what truly moves the needle. Too often, people try to tackle everything at once, but real progress comes from narrowing things down. As I learned over time and reinforced at Warwick, you can’t eat the elephant in one bite. The key is to break things down, focus on what will have the biggest impact, and let those wins create momentum for everything else. That “lean and agile” mindset has been crucial throughout my career.

What trends should business schools focus on to prepare future leaders?

Artificial intelligence is an obvious one. It has crept up quickly, and every business leader needs to understand how to leverage it effectively. But AI should be treated as a tool, not a crutch. Knowing where its limitations lie, and how to use it responsibly, is just as important as knowing what it can do.

Beyond that, core IT literacy remains critical: understanding everyday digital infrastructure and tools that underpin organisations. And finally, data protection and GDPR awareness are essential. Leaders must understand how to protect both themselves and their organisations in an increasingly data-driven world.

What career advice would you give to current students or recent graduates?

Never stop learning. Even when you think you're done, you're just getting started. Your career is a journey, not a single milestone. An MBA or any degree isn’t the finish line; it’s a toolkit that helps you learn faster, adapt better, and keep growing.

The most successful people are always looking for something new to understand, new skills to develop, and fresh perspectives to explore. If you ever feel like you’ve stopped learning, seek out new challenges. That’s how you grow, stay relevant, and unlock new opportunities. Keep pushing forward.

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