Mark Ovenden is returning to the UK to become managing director of Ford of Britain as of August 15.

He will replace Nigel Sharp who is retiring at the age of 65 after 39 years with Ford.

Ovenden, who has been heading Ford Russia for almost three years, returns to Ford of Britain where he was previously marketing director.

A graduate of Nottingham University, Ovenden has had a wide range of global marketing and sales experience within Ford Motor Company, including positions based at Dearborn and Cologne.

Sharp has been Ford's UK managing director since 2009, prior to which he was sales director.

He has held senior finance, sales and marketing appointments across Europe, including stints as managing director of Ford's operations in Switzerland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Turkey.

Roelant de Waard, vice president of marketing, sales and service, Ford of Europe, said Ovenden has a "wealth of experience" that "makes him ideally placed to manage Ford's biggest European market."

De Waard also commended Sharp's business acumen, leadership skills and passion for the business as having made a significant difference to the Ford of Europe marketing and sales team over many years.