PK ‘Uma’ Umashankar
If you’ve ever had a replacement badge for your Ford arrive in the mail by surprise, you probably have PK ‘Uma’ Umashankar to thank for arranging it.
“If I see any Ford vehicle anywhere I travel that has the Ford badge missing, damaged, broken or defaced, I will take a picture of the vehicle and share with the respective market zone manager, so we reach the customer and delight them with a free replacement of a Ford badge.”
Uma, director of Customer Service Operations for Ford IMG, says it’s something he’s been doing for years, and that it’s just one small but important way of showing that Ford cares about its customers.
“I believe our customers have an emotional connection with our brand, maybe more so than a rational one, and this produces a strong relationship,” he said.
As someone who has always been duty-bound to serve, Uma takes a very hands-on approach to life and leadership. He served his country in the Indian Air Force for six years – rising to the rank of flight lieutenant (captain) before joining Ford.
At Ford, he has served in a variety of sales, product and marketing leadership positions – all of which kept him close to the customer, whether directly or virtually.
“I love what the roles have allowed – being close to our customers and understanding what a brand like Ford means to them,” he said.
With almost three decades of work in the field, Uma can easily recount several emotional stories in which IMG employees and dealers went above and beyond the call of duty to help customers.
“I am amidst these heroes everywhere in Ford, and this makes my job the best, with numerous ‘chicken soup for the soul’ stories,” he said.
But Uma wasn’t always on this path. It was his dream to become a doctor, but he did not get accepted into a state-funded medical school.
“I lost focus for a couple of years to collect myself and learned some significant life lessons along the way,” he said. “That’s when I discovered running. It gave me a surprising calm, which I needed then.”
He found his calling in engineering, and entered university, where he continued running and became a college athletic champion.
“And importantly, I was able to fulfill my parents' dream to be first college graduate in the family.”
After college, Uma entered the Indian Air Force academy in in the engineering core. It was there he realised he preferred to remain close to the action, solving issues and working through challenges.
“The Air Force is the best part of my professional life outside Ford and was instrumental in shaping my early life,” Uma said. “I still carry the platoon spirit of ‘Touching the sky with glory’. I’m proud to see my batchmates as one-star generals (air commodores) already. But I was happy to retire as a captain. I see myself a trench captain more than a staff colonel – my drive comes being closer to action.”
After leaving the Air Force and joining Ford, he continued to maintain a level of fitness. But it’s only been in the last decade that he rediscovered running, which continues to provide him clarity and peace in all aspects of life.
Uma’s desire to serve others is rooted in his humble upbringing by a strong mother and father who worked tirelessly to make sure he had a better life.
“I am in awe of what they achieved with such paltry resources in a working-class environment,” he said. “They were moved by their dreams for us.
“My mom, a frail but iron-willed lady, is my eternal role model,” he said. “We lost my father – the sole breadwinner – just as I j graduated and entered the Air Force Academy. This was an important crossroads for me, and it is my mom who helped me get through those crises years.
“My kids need a mention too, especially my younger son, who was seven when he became the quintessential expat child,” he said. “It’s been a decade now, he’s moved to four schools in multiple countries, and I admire his resilience and ability to cope and blend in. He continues to be my superpower every day.”
Uma remains guided by his favourite quote from the Bhagavad Gita, a 700-verse Hindu scripture written in the first millennium B.C., and which loosely translates to mean, “As a leader, do your duty sincerely but don’t expect the fruits for yourself.”
“That message to leaders, that they must be selfless in their work and strive for the common good, is as true today as it was when it was first written all those centuries ago,” Uma said.
Swand Qat
Whether she’s tinkering behind a truck grille with spanners in hand, or hovering over a cast iron grill sizzling a steak, Swand Qat says life is all about enjoying every moment to its fullest.
As an electrical and electronics systems engineer embedded with the IMG product development team in Dubai, Swand looks after the regional localization of the centre display and instrument cluster, and also location tailored features like navigation, connectivity and system applications.
She also works with core engineering teams around the world to plan, test and evaluate new vehicle features – often years ahead of their market launches. Being part of the Middle East PD team also means getting involved in its validation drive programmes for pre-production vehicles.
Swand says her job is “like being in the front seat of a roller coaster ride through Innovation Land!”
“I’m not just part of a team—I’m in a league of extraordinary minds where we turbocharge ideas into cutting-edge car tech,” she says. “We're talking crafting engines that purr smoothly and dialing up the customer experience like turning up the volume on your favorite jam.”
Swand’s passion for engineering and the automotive world began in her early teens, and she gained her mechanical engineering degree at the University of Jordan in 2002.
She moved to Dubai to in 2006 to join GM and, after a short spell with construction equipment manufacturer Hilti, joined the Ford production development team in February 2020. She says she’s been the first woman in many technical roles in the Middle East and was the first female global regional repair expert in construction tools for Hilti.
Outside work, Swand dedicates much of her spare time to fitness and helping others. An avid road cyclist and Crossfit fan, Swand says her passion is to empower people of determination. She is part of a community-driven team of mentors that offers “free fitness training sessions, including CrossFit, football and swimming, that are as much about joy as they are about the sport.”
She also loves to travel but says she’s not the type of person to sit still and relax on vacation.
“Travelling is a chance to dive into new cultures, taste different foods, and collect memories. A real holiday needs to involve lots of cycling, hiking and kayaking and a week to recover from them when you get back home.”
Swand says her mother is a constant source of inspiration.
“Her ability to find joy in simple moments and face challenges with grace motivates me to be a better version of myself. Her love and wisdom guide my journey towards personal growth and self-improvement, shaping me into the person I aspire to become.”
Candice Watson
Quick question for the adrenaline junkies among you: Would you rather jump out of a plane with a parachute on your back, or from a bridge with nothing more than a bungy cord wrapped around your ankles?
Candice Watson, HR business partner for Ford New Zealand, has done both and says the choice is clear: skydiving is much more enjoyable.
“You don’t really have the opportunity to change your mind when you’re attached to an instructor with your feet dangling out of the plane door,” she explained. “And then it happens. It doesn’t really feel like you are falling, it really is exhilarating, and the views are out of this world.”
“But bungy jumping is absolutely terrfying. You do not feel in control at all.”
Leaping feet-first into the unknown is a liberating experience, but Candice says the rewards extend beyond the adrenaline rush you get from hurling yourself from a bridge or plane.
“I believe that it really makes you think on a deeper level about some of the choices/decisions you make on a daily basis,” she said. “ You really can surprise yourself what you are capable of if you just give it a go. You really get a lot of satisfaction from stepping outside of your comfort zone and doing something successfully.”
Having emigrated to New Zealand from South Africa nearly 20 years ago, Candice grew up with a love of adventure, and for team sports like netball, touch rugby, volleyball and athletics.
She joined Ford New Zealand’s “small but mighty” team in October 2022, and says that she’s passionate about Ford stands for and how the compnay care about its people.
“Getting to know all of our people, connecting and strengthening relationships is absolutely my favourite part of the job. I love being in a position where you can make a real positive impact on people,” she said.
“I’m lucky to be in a role where there is a large variety in what I do. I can have my labour relations hat on one minute, and then my talent and development hat on the next.”
Outside work, Candice dedicates most of her time to supporting her three children in their after-school activities.
“My family is my everything” she says. “I want to be the best role model I can be and show them that you can do absolutely anything you put your mind to no matter the challenge. It’s something I reflect on every day, making sure I am grounding myself and going back to my why”.
Pushyami Vinapamula
It’s often said that that the path to success is a lonely one – but Pushyami Vinapamula says a more effective path is a collaborative one.
Pushyami – or Push to her friends – joined Ford in Chennai, India, in 2005, as a junior financial analyst in the purchasing controller’s office. She worked in a number of key positions in Finance before being promoted in 2019 to general manager, business strategy for joint ventures and alliances for IMG.
“To be very truthful, I struggled for six months to settle into the role,” she said. “Having been in finance roles where controlling costs was the sole motive, I struggled to cope with a role that required a lot of collaboration.
“I quickly learned that there are two sides to every situation, and that it’s important to consider different perspectives before taking any decision,” she explained. “The new role also taught me that learning is a never-ending journey, and that it is important to be relevant and relatable. It builds bonds and bridges by opening channels to communicate effectively with peers, teams and management.”
Push says her upbringing helped shape her curiosity and zest for new challenges.
“My parents taught my older sister and I the value of perseverance, grit and the importance of enjoying simple things. I’m an eternal optimist, and I am curious to a fault,” she explained. “I don’t think I could function in this job if I didn’t carry a high level of curiosity. It’s what drives me to learn, to question the status quo and be part of any change that is needed.”
Her curiosity spills over into the kind of books she reads: Sci-fi novels because “they show a level of creativity and imagination that might give us a peek into the future”; social history books “because they help broaden my understanding of different eras, cultures and patterns in human behaviour”; and self-help books “because they help in personal development.”
Push also loves to travel, and while she doesn’t have a favourite country to visit, she’s happiest when she’s conquered a tough mountain trek and is able to take in the natural beauty of her surroundings. This path, too, teaches a lesson.
“At the top of the mountain path, our problems become too trivial in this huge world – and that humbles me every time.”
Sansiri Koomrod
Sansiri Koomrod’s passion for patisserie has made her extremely popular with her MP&L department colleagues at the Ford Thailand plant.
Sansiri – or Puii to her friends – has almost completed her Diplôme de Pâtisserie from the Corden Bleu Dusit, a three-stage course where she has learned to create classic and contemporary desserts and developed advanced techniques in chocolate and sugarwork from elite level French chefs.
She discovered her love for baking while working from home during Covid pandemic. Dissatisfied with supermarket bread and with more time on her hands, she picked up a few tips on bread making on YouTube – and was soon fully consumed by the art of baking long-fermentation sourdough bread.
That led to the course at Le Cordon Bleu, and she now puts those skills into practice by spoiling her teammates with cakes and treats on their birthdays.
“When I have the time, I like to make something nice for the team,” she said. “We have a very good team that works well together. We talk, listen and help each other solve issues and problems together. I feel very lucky to work with Ford and here at FTM.”
Puii joined Ford 11 years ago and is now part of the supply chain management team responsible for shipping components and parts from FTM to plants in South Africa, Vietnam, Argentina and Michigan.
“I really like that it's a challenging and dynamic role,” she explained. “I work with about 30 suppliers, releasing shipments to plants around IMG every week. Many issues come up and we need to constantly monitor situations to stay on top of things. It takes a lot of focus and understanding – but I’m always learning.”
She also practices yoga which, she says, helps keep her fit and healthy. She’s also taken up scuba diving and loves exploring “a whole new world” under the sea.
Puii says that baking and sharing gives her great pleasure – and that despite her new-found pâtisserie skills, she still enjoys baking sourdough bread the most.
“It has taught me to be patient,” she said. “You can’t expedite the process because we work with yeast which is microorganisms, so we have to be patient. If you’re patient and observe, you will get good results. It will take time, but it’s worth it.”
Sunil Sewmohan
After more than 38 years with Ford, Sunil Sewmohan feels it’s time to give back and help guide others to carve out a successful career in the automotive business.
He knows what it takes. Having joined Ford as an engineering trainee in 1985, Sunil is now product marketing director and board member at the Ford Motor Company South Africa. It’s the latest in a series of senior management positions that have seen him lead product planning and product development teams in China, the Middle East, and now at home in South Africa.
“My motto has always been to work hard and play hard,” he said. “If someone closes the door in my face I find as many other ways as I can to get in, and I approach problems with a sense of urgency, rigour and robustness. I love to make things happen and not be a victim of the situation.”
Sunil says every day comes with new challenges and a different set of problems to be solved.
“My job is to work with my team to guide and coach them on how to approach the job at hand or challenges posed by any given situation. I strive to help my teams grow and be the best they can be in how they approach and deliver the work that we do.”
Married with two grown children, Sunil likes to spend his free time gardening – where the peace and simplicity helps clear his mind – or tinkering on his 1961 Ford Thames van or 1971 Jaguar XJ6 in the garage.
“I’m a petrolhead – something I inherited from my dad who was a mechanic – and I’ve been working on cars since I was 12,” he explained. He’s also an avid DIYer, and says he prefers to work on projects around the house than get someone in.
When his hands aren’t covered in dirt, dust or classic car grease, Sunil loves to spend time with his family, either socializing around the braai or dinner table, or playing table tennis, board games or billiards.
“I also love to travel, and I’m always up for a game drive at any given moment,” Sunil said.
His moral compasses have always been his parents, but he says he has also been inspired by many direct and indirect managers over the years – valuing mutual respect, trust, transparency, candor, fairness, courtesy and commitment above all else.
“I adopt the good from a role model at any point in time and reject the bad from the same or others. I look up to people who share my values and hope that it inspires others to push themselves too.”
Gangapriya Chakraverti
Gangapriya Chakraverti was brought up in a family that valued hard work and excellence – two qualities that help in her daily role as site lead and managing director for Ford Business Solutions in India.
“My parents always set the bar high, were selfless and provided all the support and encouragement that I needed,” she explained. “What my parents gave me was taken to the next level after marriage when my partner showed me that I had wings to fly.”
Gangapriya joined Ford in 2012 as director of human resources and is now responsible for ensuring FBS’s 9,000 Chennai based employees get the support and services they need. She loves her role and enjoys learning from colleagues, but says it often requires her to work outside of her comfort zone.
“I’m an introvert, but my job requires me to be in the spotlight. I take time to recover from these public interactions by spending time with myself or in the company of people who are really close to me.”
Gangapriya has spent most of her life in Chennai and says the city’s vibrant culture and easy access to live performances stokes her passion for Indian classical dance.
“I love exploring new places, meeting people and understanding cultures so I like travelling. What's fascinating for me as a traveler is the commonalities that exist across cultures and the values that bind humans together,” she explained. “I also love being surrounded by nature - forests, beaches, mountains. Whether it is just hiking or bird watching, I could spend hours and days outdoors.”
But it’s those closest to Gangapriya that provide her with the biggest source of inspiration.
“My son challenges me and is constantly educating me to stay relevant in the modern world. If there is one person who is constantly inspiring me, it is my son who is always throwing new perspectives to challenge my thoughts and beliefs.”
Caroline Mahlangu
Caroline Mahlangu has always had a fascination with solving problems. As a child, she loved working on assembling toys – so she says it seemed natural that she would end up in a role that required creativity and problem solving.
As a process engineering technician at Ford’s Silverton plant, Caroline puts those skills into action by ensuring teams are using the best strategies to deliver on Ford’s quality goals. That means performing daily quality audits on manufacturing engineering processes, working with the process engineer to make sure teams are adhering to the plant’s quality plan, and resolving any issues that arise.
“My job really allows me to have a real impact on improving the way we do things, and on helping others to find ways to work more efficiently, safely and productively,” Caroline said.
But Caroline didn’t start her career in engineering. She spent five years as a professional make-up artist before gaining her degree in operations management from Tshwane University of Technology.
“I enjoyed the whole process of being a makeup artist. It was a way for me to express and explore my creativity, and I loved helping women see their beauty with or without makeup,” she said.
“The transition to an engineering role really helped me to understand that you really do have the power to adapt to anything if you really put your mind to it,” she said. “You can be anything you want to be, as long as you believe in yourself.”
Born and raised in Mamelodi, just a few minutes’ drive from the Ford Silverton plant in Pretoria, Caroline began her automotive career when she joined Babuthe Automotive Components, suppliers of rubberized bedliners for the Ranger in 2016.
“I was interested in joining Ford when the Ranger Raptor was being introduced. I wanted to be part of the introduction of this high-performance off-road truck” Caroline said.
She said it was exciting to be at the Silverton plant as it transitioned to produce the next-gen Ranger.
“The expanded operations contributed to job creation for the people and economic development and the new technologies and systems introduced to support quality delivery to customer’s satisfaction,” she said. “The investments made for the next-gen Ranger has re-shaped every aspect of our manufacturing operations and experience.”
Away from work Caroline says she enjoys outdoor activities, camping and travelling - but it’s her family that gives her the greatest joy.
“I have an incredible 14-year-old daughter who my husband and I are both so proud of – and I love creating everlasting memories with them.”
Caroline also gets her inspiration from strong female leaders within the manufacturing industry.
“More women are taking on leadership roles in manufacturing, contributing to its growth, innovation and sustainability. Manufacturing plays a critical role in shaping our economy and society, it is vital that women are heard and have a significant contribution.”
Joe Agati
Joe Agati’s passion for Australian muscle cars is more than just a passing interest. He began spinning spanners on project cars back in the very late 1980s, and by the time he hit 19, he managed to own his dream car – a 1967 Ford Falcon GT that he tuned for drag racing.
“From the moment I discovered the XR GT, I knew I had to make it mine,” Joe said. “It’s one of only 596 ever made, and it marked the beginning of the Australian supercar era.”
Joe raced the car in local competitions in and around his hometown Melbourne for a couple of seasons, spending countless hours fine-tuning the engine for better performance.
“My best time over the quarter-mile was 13.92 seconds at 92 mph (148 km/h) – which isn’t very impressive nowadays – but it was consistent, and I had a lot of fun,” Joe said. “When you start drag racing, you think that the person in the lane beside you is your competitor – but as you get better, you learn that consistency is the key to winning. Your focus switches to launching as fast as you can when the light turns green and perfecting every single gear shift in those few seconds of action.”
Joe set his racing aspirations to one side as he pursued degrees in computer science and economics and later an MBA. Now, he's the IMG ET Strategy and Integration manager at the Customer Relationship Centre (CRC). There, he works with teams across IMG to make the customer experience with contact centres better.
Outside work, Joe’s life revolves around his family and friends. He loves spending time as much time as he can with his wife Rosanna and their four kids, and family holidays are usually spent around a surf beach.
He still has his classic 1967 Falcon GT. He rebuilt it alongside his daughter Georgia, and despite the car sitting idle for over 30 years, it was in pretty good shape. He and Georgia went through every inch of it, bumper to bumper, even rebuilding the engine together.
“The feeling of hearing the engine roar back into life was something else. Every time that V8 turns over and revs up, it's like an adrenaline shot," he grins. Now he's got a new project, a 1968 XR Ford Falcon 500, which he's restoring. This one's got a special place – it was my childhood family car and has been in the family since the early 1970s.
"I enjoy driving the GT to work and on weekends. It's got this road presence that's hard to beat," Joe says. He enjoys sharing stories with others who grew up around similar cars. Connecting with those memories makes the car even more special.
For Joe, it's not just a car; it's a vessel of memories and stories. It's a piece of his life, sparking memories and conversations wherever it goes.
Maja Smith
For someone who admits she still has a lot to learn about cars and who has a fear of speed, Maja Smith has managed to navigate the automotive industry extremely well.
Maja is FCSD director for South Africa – a role she took on a just over a year ago and one she’s extremely passionate about.
“I count myself lucky to have a job that challenges me daily on both a practical and a cerebral level, and that enable me to have a direct impact on the lives of our dealers and our customers,” she said.
Maja’s unlikely journey into motoring started back in 2010, when she returned from a decade abroad in Europe to take a job at Ogilvy – Ford South Africa’s public relations agency at the time. It was her first real exposure to the automotive world, and she quickly fell in love with what she describes as “one of the most fascinating industries to work in.”
In April 2013 Maja jumped at the chance to join Ford’s communications department, beginning a ten-year journey in which she has held in communications, marketing, customer experience (CX) and now aftersales. She describes the past decade as a “whirlwind” but also says she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“The fact that no day is the same – you never know what you’re going to be dealing with, and that keeps things interesting and exciting,” she said. “There’s nothing worse than being bored in your job. In FCSD you can never be bored.”
Maja is the mum of two boys whom she says provide much-needed ‘life-context’ to her work. She says she’s “borderline obsessive” about exercise, spending time with friends, and reading at least two books at a time.
Maja credits her passion and zest for life to her parents. “If I could have even a fraction of the energy they have at their age and have accomplished even half as much in my life, I will be very fulfilled.”
She also feels that IMG’s diversity is key to a bright future for Ford.
“IMG continues to prove to the rest of the Ford world that we can be nimble and proactive – that we can collaborate across departments and countries, breaking down silos and outdated ways of working,” she said. “We have all the opportunity across our incredibly diverse markets to do some really special work. I can’t imagine a better team or region to be a part of.”
Yandiswa Mdlalose
Coach, change agent, chef, chairperson, supervisor, wife, mother, award-winner, ambassador and lover of the Ford brand.
Yandiswa Mdlalose is all of those.
Currently, she’s a production process coach with a team of 75 people manufacturing the instrumental panel for the next-gen Ranger dashboard. It’s a job she loves.
“My role as a process coach includes coaching and enabling, being a cultural change agent, driving continuous improvement and increasing the leadership role of people,” Yandiswa said. “I ensure safety, quality, and productivity objectives are met through coaching standardized work, verifying that the line is running safely, smoothly and producing quality parts. I love my job.”
Outside of the manufacturing environment, Yandiswa enjoys the outdoor life of camping, hiking and cooking (she’s the family chef). An avid traveler, Yandiswa has been to all the provinces in South Africa, but her favorite was the Mpumalanga (Panorama Route).
“In that province God was just showing off – the landscape and the scenery were just out of this world,” she said. “My healing and health were restored in that province.”
Socializing and networking also are a big part of her life as she represents Ford on a number of committees and boards, including:
Representing women of Ford South Africa as a board partner in the Global Women of Ford.
Being voted in as Women of Ford South Africa Chairperson in 2021
Receiving the 2018 Global Diversity & Inclusion Award in the area of fostering inclusive actions
Winning the 2021 Nedbank Motoring Woman of the Year Award
Serving as board committee member at the Nelson Mandela Science Technology Centre
“All the above have proven that Ford trusts and believes in me, and it humbles me more when people come to me with their personal issues, and I advise and assist whenever I can,” she said. “I love the Ford brand, I am a very proud Ford advocate, and I strive to model the Ford behaviours.”
