What does it take to transform a financial services organization into a product-centered powerhouse? In this episode of the CPO Rising Series hosted by Products That Count Resident CPO Renee Niemi, Ford Credit Chief Product Officer Jared Wall shares insights on building a product-centered culture of innovation. He dives into how Ford Credit has evolved its product strategy, balancing customer experience with business outcomes, and creating a collaborative approach that drives meaningful change across a global organization.
Join us for new conversations with leading product executives every week. Roll through the highlights of this week’s podcast below, then head on over to our Events page to see which product leaders will be joining us next week.
Show Notes:
- Ford Credit is the financial services arm of Ford Motor Company, operating across three continents
- The product organization has evolved through three key seasons: building credibility, operating at scale, and shaping future strategy
- Balancing financial services expertise with automotive product innovation is critical
- Developed first mobile app with basic payment capabilities to demonstrate product team’s value
- Established a global product vision and defined the role of product and design within the company
- Implemented product operations and OKRs to drive outcome-oriented thinking
- Created a “run, build, transform” framework for portfolio investment, dedicating 10-20% to transformative initiatives
- Prioritization process involves annual capital allocation decisions and ongoing monthly performance reviews
- Developed a pre-qualification experience that reduced customer anxiety and drove significant revenue growth
- Intentionally mix team members with Ford domain expertise and external industry perspectives
- Invest in knowledge sharing through monthly “What the Heck” sessions
- Maintain a collaborative culture with a strong bias for action and results
- Use extensive writing and documentation to communicate strategy and context
- Conduct structured product skills interviews focusing on curiosity, passion, and leadership
- Lead a globally dispersed team by over-investing in relationships and intentional communication
- Schedule quarterly face-to-face meetings to build team cohesion
- Emphasize coaching, mentorship, and team development in leadership
- Focus on understanding customer problems as a pathway to financial results
- Create a product-centered approach that supports broader company objectives
- Continuously evaluate product lifecycle and investment marginal returns