Dustin Chick To Lead Ford Communications In South Africa

(MENAFN- PRovoke) PRETORIA - Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa has appointed Dustin Chick as communications director, effective 1 March.

Chick joins Ford in his first in-house role from South African agency Razor Public Relations. He launched Razor in 2020 as a standalone PR offer within M&C Saatchi Group South Africa.

During his career, Chick has advised CEOs, large corporates, C-suite leaders, government ministers and community organisations on complex reputation and strategic communications challenges. Before Razor, he was head of strategy at Ogilvy South Africa for nine years, and before that was strategy director at MSL Johannesburg.

Under his leadership, Razor has gone on to become the most awarded PR agency in Africa, including being named as one of PRovoke Media's 10 Best Agencies in Africa in 2025. Chick announced his departure last week.

At Ford, he succeeds Minish Bhagaloo, who spent 11 years in the comms function, and has recently moved to the Automobile Association of South Africa as head of public relations and advocacy.

Chick said:“Joining Ford South Africa is a rare and compelling opportunity, particularly at a time when communications as a discipline continues to shift from being a 'support function' to one where it shapes an organisation's 'strategic leadership'. In an era defined by increased scrutiny, continued disruption and accelerated change, communications is no longer just peripheral, it is central to long-term trust, competitiveness and sustained shared prosperity with staff, communities and customers.”

He added:“Ford's more than 100-year manufacturing legacy in South Africa, its role in industrialisation, and its reach into over 100 global export markets place it at the heart of our economic and social future. I'm excited about how our broader communications team can focus this impact even further.”

In his new role, Chick will lead the communications function for Ford – South Africa's longest standing automotive manufacturer – including responsibility for the modernisation on of its comms strategy with a focus on digital transformation and storytelling.

He will report to communications director for international markets Sinead Phipps in Australia, and locally to Ford Motor Company, Africa president Neale Hill, who said:“We're delighted to welcome Dustin to the Ford team at an exciting time for both the company and the automotive sector. Auto manufacturing continues to play a critical role in South Africa's economic future, especially in terms of employment, investment in industrial capacity and overall economic and social contribution to the country. At Ford, we have been part of that journey for more than a century.

“So as our industry evolves, communications has become increasingly strategic and critical. Dustin's appointment strengthens our ability to engage with our staff, our customers, our dealers and our stakeholders in telling Ford's story with clarity, credibility and purpose.”

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