DEARBORN, Mich. -- A member of a new generation of Ford family members is taking on another leadership role at the automaker.

       Alexandra Ford English, the daughter of Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford, was named global brand merchandising director for the Dearborn, Michigan, company on Monday.

       English, 33, who already serves on the company's board of directors, will push for growth in sales of Ford brand merchandise.

       English said Monday that there are passionate Ford fans around the world, and the company wants to offer them merchandise and accessories.

       The appointment likely is another step toward ushering in the next generation of company leaders from the Ford family. Bill Ford is 64 and is getting closer to retirement age.

       English was elected to Ford's board in May along with Henry Ford III, the son of Edsel Ford, who retired earlier this year after 33 years as a director. Both of the younger Fords are great-great-grandchildren of company founder Henry Ford.

       English is the first female director on Ford board. She has been director of corporate strategy since March of last year. Before joining the company in 2017, she ran profit-and-loss operations for the merchandising divisions of Tory Burch and Gap Inc., according to the automaker.

       English has a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in Human Biology with a concentration in the Neurobiology and Physiology of Human Behavior. She also has a master of business administration degree from Harvard.