Matt VanDyke, a longtime Ford Motor Co. advertising and marketing govt who final 12 months turned CEO of the corporate’s FordDirect three way partnership with sellers, is leaving the automaker to turn out to be president of Shift Digital, a digital advertising and marketing vendor.

VanDyke will assume the brand new function June 28.

“Shopper buying habits are dramatically altering as extra people embrace the digital shopping for expertise, and it’s essential that automakers and sellers ship an distinctive client expertise on the model stage and sellers’ particular person websites,” VanDyke mentioned in an announcement. “The chance to affix Shift Digital permits me to broaden my information and impression extra manufacturers and retailers because the business goes by means of this digital evolution.”

Shift Digital mentioned it’s within the midst of increasing its automotive shoppers and including new ones within the powersports, heavy tools and hospitality industries. It has greater than 600 staff with 5 places of work in North America.

A Ford spokesman didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark and it was not instantly clear who would substitute VanDyke as CEO of FordDirect.

VanDyke spent 14 years at Ford in a wide range of advertising and marketing roles. From 2018 to 2021, he was the corporate’s director of promoting, answerable for main Ford’s built-in communications, digital client expertise, model alliances, income administration and retail go-to-market methods.

Lately, he helped information the advertising and marketing technique across the launch of the redesigned F-150 and new Bronco SUV, and led the corporate’s “Constructed for America” and “Constructed to Lend a Hand” advert campaigns.

Since early 2021 he has served as CEO of FordDirect, a three way partnership between the corporate and its retail community tasked with serving to sellers promote extra autos with data-based advertising and marketing and promoting.