Ian McInnes has recently been named senior vice president, global supply chain at pharmaceutical firm Schering-Plough. McInnes comes to the firm from his post as executive vice president, supply chain at Watson Laboratories. Prior to this position, McInnes was senior vice president, global supply for Pharmacia Corp.

David Thursfield, Ford Motor Co.'s executive vice president and president, international operations and global purchasing, retired May 1 after two years in the post and 25 years with the company. He was previously head of Ford Europe. Thursfield joined Ford in 1979 as a plant manager in Australia. He will become a consultant to the company. Ford chairman and CEO Bill Ford said he and Thursfield had been talking "for some time about when would be the right time to hang it up." Tony Brown remains Ford's vice president of global purchasing, while Thursfield's work in international operations has been split between two other executives.

Dutch retailer Ahold recently announced it would focus more on procurement this year than in the past. As a first step, the company appointed Garry Brown, a consultant and specialist in restructuring troubled businesses, as senior vice president of procurement at Ahold's troubled U.S. Foodservice business. Brown fills the position vacated by executives in charge of purchasing and marketing who were dismissed last year after a $1.2 billion accounting scandal.

The board of directors at electronics firm California Micro Devices has elected Manuel (Manny) H. Mere, vice president, supply chain management, and made him an officer of the company. Mere has been in his current position for two years and with the company for eight. According to Robert V. Dickinson, president and CEO, "Manny has been the architect for our outsourcing strategy in our core business and has provided strong leadership during its implementation. His election as an officer reflects the importance of his role going forward as well as his significant contribution to our successful turnaround."

Chineta K. Davis has been promoted to vice president at Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Norden Systems business from her position of director of strategic sourcing in the Procurement and Material Management organization at the company. In her new role, Davis will oversee the company's diverse aerospace and defense-related electronics engineering and manufacturing activities.