Ford CEO Bob Graziano set for retirement

Ford Australia has announced a leadership shake-up with president and chief executive Bob Graziano to retire at the end of March.

Current vice-president of marketing, sales and service Graeme Whickman will fill the shoes of the 32-year Ford veteran in Melbourne.

He will inherit a company that has seen its sales drop by 21 per cent already this year.

Graziano was at the helm when Ford announced the planned shutdown of the Broadmeadows assembly line and Geelong engine plants and said it was both an "important and difficult time" for the company.

Whickman, 46, has spent his 18-year career at Ford in a variety of marketing and sales positions and first joined the company in 1997.