William Clay Ford Jr. was originally named Owner/Vice Chair of the Lions in February 1995, but his involvement with the Lions first began back in 1957 when he attended his first Lions game as an infant.

Along with his father, he was instrumental in bringing the Lions back home to Detroit when the team made the decision in 1996 to move the team from the suburbs and built Ford Field in downtown Detroit. He and his family also played a vital role in Detroit's bid for Super Bowl XL. The Ford Family, Lions and Ford Motor Company were integral in hosting the nation's premier sporting event in February 2006, which generated a $260 million economic boost to the local economy. He also has served on the NFL Finance Committee and the prestigious Broadcast Committee.

William Clay Ford Jr. was originally named Owner/Vice Chair of the Lions in February 1995, but his involvement with the Lions first began back in 1957 when he attended his first Lions game as an infant.

Along with his father, he was instrumental in bringing the Lions back home to Detroit when the team made the decision in 1996 to move the team from the suburbs and built Ford Field in downtown Detroit. He and his family also played a vital role in Detroit's bid for Super Bowl XL. The Ford Family, Lions and Ford Motor Company were integral in hosting the nation's premier sporting event in February 2006, which generated a $260 million economic boost to the local economy. He also has served on the NFL Finance Committee and the prestigious Broadcast Committee.

Ford's role as executive chair of Ford Motor Company is a professional and personal commitment. He leads the company founded by his great-grandfather, American automotive pioneer Henry Ford. A member of the board of directors since 1988, Ford assumed the role of chairman of the board on January 1, 1999. He also served as chief executive officer of the company from October 2001 to September 2006.

Ford serves as an honorary director of Henry Ford Health and trustee emeritus of The Henry Ford. He served as chairman of the board of the Detroit Economic Club from 2005 to 2017 and on the Board of Directors for eBay Inc. from 2005 to 2015. He was a founding partner of Fontinalis Partners, LLC, a Michigan-based investment firm that acts as a strategic operating partner to transportation infrastructure technology companies.

Ford is the recipient of several awards and recognitions, including: the Distinguished American Award from the NFL, induction into the Irish America Hall of Fame, the Atlantic Council's Distinguished Business Leadership Award, the all-star award by Automotive News, Crain's Newsmaker of the Year, and Industry Leader of the Year by Automotive News. In 2015, Ford received the USC Shoah Foundation Institute's prestigious "Ambassador for Humanity" award for embodying the institute's values and mission to promote tolerance and mutual respect. In 2024, Ford will be inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.

As part of his continuing support of Detroit, Ford led the effort to restore and re-open the iconic Michigan Central Station in June 2024. After a six-year restoration, The Station re-opened alongside the renovated Book Depository, home to Newlab Detroit, which is attracting significant startup and venture capital activity focused on mobility innovation.

Born in Detroit, Ford holds a Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University and a Master of Science in Management as an Alfred P. Sloan fellow from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He also holds an Honorary Doctorate of Environmental Sciences and Engineering from Koc University in Turkey, an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Michigan, an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Bradley University, and an Honorary Doctorate of Economic Science from the University College Cork and National University of Ireland.