Business
Inside Ford’s new world headquarters: Scratch kitchens, rotisserie chickens and design secrets
The exterior of the main entrance of Ford Motor’s new world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.
Ford
DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford Motor is swapping its 1950s “Glass House” headquarters for a new, modern industrial facility to promote collaboration and better appease thousands of employees who have returned to offices in recent years after remote working.
The new 2.1-million-square-foot facility in Dearborn, Michigan, is ceremoniously opening Sunday, although construction is expected to continue into 2027.
It replaces a 12-story, rectangular-shaped headquarters roughly three miles away in the city that is expected to be demolished. The new building marks Ford’s sixth headquarters since its founding in 1903.
Currently nicknamed “The Hub,” the new headquarters will consolidate thousands of employees and several prior locations under one — albeit very large — roof. It is eventually expected to be home to up to 4,000 executives and employees involved with daily business operations, design and product development.
Ford Motor’s new world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, will function as corporate offices as well as a design and product development center.
Ford
From an operational basis, the new headquarters is roughly split evenly between design and industrial operations. Design includes massive studios with hidden courtyards and a large showroom. The other half is set to be used for general business operations such as executive offices and common work and meeting areas.
There are very few actual offices outside of those for top executives, according to the company. The idea is for employees to be able to work as they choose in different areas, or “neighborhoods,” depending on what they’re working on that day, officials said. Domain staking, where employees attempt to make a space their permanent workplace, will be discouraged, said Jennifer Kolstad, global design and brand director for Ford Land, the automaker’s property management group.
“It’s not just a building. This is a space that is a tool for our employees to be more productive, to be more collaborative, and really help deliver the Ford+ plan,” said Jim Dobleske, Ford Land chair and CEO, during a tour of the building.
The Ford+ plan was introduced by CEO Jim Farley as a turnaround and efficiency plan for the automaker in 2021.
A coffee bar in Ford Motor’s new world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.
Ford
As of the end of last year, Ford employed roughly 30,500 white-collar salaried workers in the U.S. The company continues to own or utilize other properties throughout the U.S., including large bases in Dearborn and surrounding areas.
Many salaried employees are expected in offices at least four days a week, as of earlier this year, after many of them had a more loose hybrid office-home schedule following the end of the pandemic.
“We’re inviting them back into a space that is a tool to help them do their best work. And that best work tends to come with collaboration with other teams,” Dobleske said.
Scratch kitchens
Some of that collaboration is expected to occur over food.
The new headquarters includes a 160,000-square-foot dining area with eight “kitchen concepts” that will feature rotating menus as well as take-home options such as pizza and $6 whole rotisserie chickens, decadent desserts and a juice bar complete with a herb garden.
A worker takes out a batch of rotisserie chickens inside Ford Motor’s new world headquarters on Nov. 10, 2025, in Dearborn, Michigan.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
“We have guests coming in from all over the world, so we wanted to make sure we have designed our menus to kind of play homage to that diversity,” said Grant Vella, executive chef for the new ]headquarters. “We wanted to do something different, push the boundary of business dining.”
Outside of the kitchens and dining areas, vegetation and outdoor spaces are meant to make for a more walkable-friendly campus compared with the automaker’s prior, largely street- and parking lot-locked facility.
“This headquarters is the cornerstone of our campus redevelopment, but there’s been a tremendous amount of work that we have done throughout the campus to really connect it and make it much more walkable for our employees,” Dobleske said, pointing to several facilities and areas, including a test track and 18-acre “Horsepower Park,” surrounding the building.
An herb garden inside the dining and kitchen area of Ford Motor’s new world headquarters on Nov. 10, 2025 in Dearborn, Michigan.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
Inside the building are six courtyards, including a dual-level one at the center of the company’s new design studios to allow designers to take products outside to view them outdoors in natural light. Those design courtyards are exclusive areas that can only be viewed by the surrounding, private studios.
Most of the four-story building features outside natural light from the exterior glass walls as well as skylights and other windowed areas.
Ford Motor’s new world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, which will function as corporate offices as well as a design and product development center.
Ford
Hidden designs
In addition to making a more walkable exterior campus, Ford wants employees to use purposefully designed stairs rather than elevators and escalators that are the primary modes of transportation in its most-recent 12-story headquarters.
Craig Dykers, founding partner of Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta that worked on the building, said each staircase in the building, especially in its 14 different arrival areas, are prominent and meant to be inviting to use.
“Obviously people don’t naturally want to climb a stair, so you have to design it very carefully so that people feel good about using the stair,” he said. “Part of the trick is that as you go up one flight, you don’t necessarily see the next flight, so it’s kind of a journey.”
Stairs inside the main lobby of the building are extremely wide and feature seating areas alongside the actual low-rise stairs. There’s also a coffee bar on a large landing above the main lobby.
Ford Bronco parts painted white in the American Road Lobby of the automaker’s new world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.
Ford
The coffee bar overlooks a white artwork that features vehicle parts — one of many prominent pieces of art Ford purchased or has curated for the new facility. Others are photos or drawings of vehicles, while some are simply non-automotive artistic pieces.
Inside the company’s design operations are large studios with advanced clay milling machines, a spacious showroom that will operate as a modern design dome and a 64-foot screen showing virtual reviews and testing.
What employees will not see much of is the company’s logo, the well-known blue oval surrounding the “Ford” name. There will be a massive Ford blue oval logo on the outside of the building but not on its interior. Unless you look closely.
On some exterior glass walls, such as the company’s design operations, there’s a glass pattern that features the ovals accompanied by hidden numbers that represent Ford patents.
Ford’s signature blue oval design can be seen in glass on the outside of its new world headquarters, in addition to numbers representing patents held by the company.
Ford
Ford declined to discuss the capital spent to build its new headquarters and design center, which was part of a previously announced $1 billion campus transformation that began under former CEO Jim Hackett, who previously led furniture company Steelcase.
Here’s a look inside the new world headquarters:
Workers prepare to raise a large Ford Motor blue oval onto the company’s new headquarters on Nov. 10, 2025 in Dearborn, Michigan.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
Artwork made of vehicle parts hangs in the main lobby of Ford Motor’s new world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
Ford is trying to make coming into the office more enticing with scratch kitchens, more outdoor space and places to collaborate at its new world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
A collaborative work space inside Ford Motor’s new headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
Ford’s new headquarters includes a 160,000-square-foot dining area with eight “kitchen concepts” that will feature rotating menus as well as take-home options such as pizza and $6 whole rotisserie chickens, decadent desserts and a juice bar complete with a herb garden.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
Ford’s new headquarters includes a 160,000-square-foot dining area with eight “kitchen concepts” that will feature rotating menus as well as take-home options such as pizza and $6 whole rotisserie chickens, decadent desserts and a juice bar complete with a herb garden.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
Ford’s new headquarters includes a 160,000-square-foot dining area with eight “kitchen concepts” that will feature rotating menus as well as take-home options such as pizza and $6 whole rotisserie chickens, decadent desserts and a juice bar complete with a herb garden.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
A large courtyard near the kitchen and dining inside Ford Motor’s new world headquarters remains under construction on Nov. 10, 2025 in Dearborn, Michigan.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
Business
‘India solidly through global shocks’: EAM Jaishankar calls for ‘hedge, de-risk, diversify’ strategy amid Iran war – The Times of India
External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said that India has “solidly come through” a the ongoing turbulent geopolitical situation amid the Middle East conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war, adding that the country has been “managing domestic and external challenges successfully.”Speaking at the 15th Annual Convocation Ceremony of IIM Raipur, he said countries today must focus on “hedging, de-risking and diversifying” as the global order changes rapidly.
He said the world is going through a “structural” shift, adding, “The global order is changing before our very eyes with visible shifts in the relative power and influence of countries. The politics of some societies find it difficult to come to terms with these changes.”Jaishankar also said, “New developments in technology, in energy, military capabilities, in connectivity and in resources have encouraged risk-taking in an increasingly competitive environment. Everything today is being leveraged, if not actually weaponised. The world is then confronted with the prospect of securing itself in an increasingly volatile and unpredictable environment. This has necessitated the need to hedge, de-risk and diversify.”He said India has reasons for optimism compared to many other countries. “There is an optimism in our society that is lacking in many other parts of the world,” he said, adding that India is now among the top five economies and has handled recent global shocks well.He further stated, “No one can dispute that the multiple global shocks that have recently tested our resilience, and that India has come through that solidly. We have managed both domestic and external challenges fairly successfully.”The minister said building national capabilities is key for India’s goal of Viksit Bharat 2047. He also praised “inclusive growth, representative politics, and decisive leadership.”He said, “Building national capabilities has become more critical in the light of the global trends that I have mentioned… We must endeavour to build and secure within our control as many capacities as we can.”On foreign policy, Jaishankar said India is focusing on expanding market access, securing resources and technology, and supporting Indians abroad, while promoting “Brand India.”“Our foreign policy is today focused on expanding market access for Indian producers. It is also focused on helping to secure resources, technologies and essential goods. It looks after Indians… And it promotes Brand India,” he said.These remarks come at a time when the Middle East tensions that began on February 28 with US-Israel strikes on Iran have stretched beyond the 1 month mark. The crisis has since intensified with Iran’s chokehold over the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz, sending ripples to oil baskets across the globe.
Business
Gold prices in Pakistan Today – April 4, 2026 | The Express Tribune
At current prices, the looted gold is worth around $70 million. PHOTO: PIXABAY
Prices of gold and silver remained stable in domestic and international markets on Saturday.
In the local market, the price of gold per tola held steady at Rs490,362, while 10 grams of gold remained at Rs420,406.
On the global market, gold prices per ounce were stable at $4,676.
Silver prices also remained firm, with one tola trading at Rs7,794 and 10 grams at Rs6,682. Globally, the price of silver per ounce held steady at $73.10.
Read: SBP injects Rs13.68tr into market
Yesterday, gold prices in Pakistan rose, tracking an upward trend in the international market. In the domestic market, the price of gold per tola climbed by Rs3,400 to settle at Rs490,362.
Likewise, the price of 10 grams of gold increased by Rs2,915, reaching Rs420,406, according to figures released by the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA).
A day earlier, on Thursday, gold prices had declined, with the per tola rate falling by Rs7,100 to Rs486,962.
In the global market, gold prices gained $34, reaching $4,676 per ounce, including a $20 premium.
Moreover, silver prices also moved higher, rising by Rs160 to Rs7,794 per tola.
Meanwhile, on Friday, the Pakistani rupee posted a slight gain against the US dollar in the interbank market.
By the close of trading, the local currency stood at 279.10, appreciating by Rs0.01 against the greenback. On Thursday, it had settled at 279.11.
In global markets, China’s yuan strengthened against the US dollar as the latter steadied, with investor attention shifting to the release of US payroll data later in the day.
The dollar had surged a day earlier on safe-haven demand after US President Donald Trump signalled that the Iran conflict could persist.
The spot yuan opened at 6.8930 per dollar on Friday and was last trading 37 pips higher than its previous close.
Business
Pakistan Petrol Crisis: Petrol shock, free rides & more: How is Pakistan dealing with Hormuz energy crisis – The Times of India
The Middle East crisis has stretched beyond the one month mark, sending ripples across the globe. While somes nations are hiking fuel prices, others are introducing other measures to cushion consumers from the impact while balancing energy reserves. Pakistan is no stranger to the ongoing energy volitality as the country imports almost 85% of its supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. Pakistan government has already raised petrol prices multiple times since the conflict began, with the last raise being on Friday. The sharp rise in fuel prices pushed the government to roll out emergency relief measures, including free public transport in key regions, as public anger spilled onto the streets. Authorities announced on Friday that commuters in Islamabad and Punjab will not have to pay fares on state-run transport for the next 30 days.
Balancing Hormuz crisis and consumer interest
The decision follows widespread unrest after petrol prices were raised overnight by 42.7% to 485 rupees per litre, triggering protests and long queues at fuel stations. However, after public outrage, Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif later revised the hike, bringing petrol down to 378 rupees per litre. “This decrease will be applicable for at least one month,” he said during a televised address, adding, “I promise I will not rest until your life is back to normal.”Coming to diesel prices, the government had increased HSD price by PKR 184.49 per litre, from PKR 335.86 to PKR 520.35, but abolished the levy, providing some relief to citizens.Detailing the relief measures, interior minister Mohsin Naqvi said, “All public transport in Islamabad will be made free of cost for the general public for the next 30 days, starting tomorrow (Saturday),” noting that the government would shoulder a cost of 350 million rupees.Punjab has mirrored the move, removing fares on public transport and introducing “targeted subsidies” for trucks and buses. CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif also appealed to transport operators not to shift the burden onto passengers, saying, “We promise to relieve the public of economic burden as soon as conditions improve.”In Karachi, similar steps have been taken by the Sindh government, which announced subsidies aimed at motorcyclists and small farmers.
Middle East tensions strain Pakistan
The developments come against the backdrop of rising global energy disruptions linked to the US-Israel war on Iran, which began on February 28. The conflict has led to retaliatory strikes across the Gulf and disrupted movement through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for energy supplies, particularly to Asia.To manage the strain, Pakistan has introduced a series of fuel-saving steps, including a four-day workweek for many government offices, extended school holidays and a shift to online classes in some cases.The economic pressure is being felt acutely in a country where about 25% of the population of 240 million lives in poverty, according to World Bank figures. Earlier in March, fuel prices had already been increased by 20 percent, with authorities initially resisting further hikes.Protests broke out on Friday in Lahore, where demonstrators called for the government to withdraw the increase. “The government, overnight, has dropped a ‘petrol bomb’ on its people,” said Naveed Ahmed, a 39-year-old protestor. “Our nation cannot bear this situation right now. This storm of inflation must be stopped, and relief should be provided to the public.”Hafiz Abdul Rauf, another protester, questioned the reasoning behind the hike, saying, “The rise we are seeing is not due to the (Iran) war, but to pressure from the IMF, pressure that must be resisted. For God’s sake, step back from these demands and show some compassion for the people.”The pressure is not limited to Pakistan. Bangladesh has also raised prices of liquefied petroleum gas and compressed natural gas by 29%. Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund warned earlier this week that vulnerable economies face not only rising energy costs but also disruptions in supply chains. On March 28, it said it had reached an initial agreement with Pakistan on a $1.2-billion support package.
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