Mark Fields, the Ford executive who stopped production at Jaguar's historic Browns Lane factory in Coventry, has been appointed to turn around the carmaker's loss-making US operations.

The 44-year-old American, executive vice-president at Ford of Europe and Premier Automotive Group, was named an executive vice-president and president of the company's Americas business. As part of a major management shuffle, he replaces Greg Smith, who was named vice-chairman.

Chief executive Bill Ford said Field's next challenge "is to lead the Americas automotive operations back to a sustained level of profitability".