Cedric Armand is a dynamic, results-driven product development executive with over 15 years of experience in the automotive industry. Recognized for his customer-centric mindset and practical leadership, he brings deep technical expertise and a strategic vision to capability building, innovation, and organizational transformation.

Currently serving as Director of Virtualization at Ford Motor Company, Cedric leads the development and scaling of Ford’s virtual ECU software development, testing, and validation infrastructure. His work is central to Ford’s mission of accelerating high-quality software delivery across the vehicle lifecycle.

Previously, Cedric led General Motors’ groundbreaking Virtual Hardware-in-the-Loop (VHIL) initiative, where he product-managed and directed the development and deployment of a scalable, cloud-based platform for virtual embedded control system testing. Beyond the technical achievement, he built and expanded a dedicated organization comprising three internal teams and forged strategic partnerships with multiple Tier 1 suppliers and external collaborators. Cedric institutionalized a streamlined, early-phase workflow for virtual ECU sourcing, development, validation, and integration within GM’s Global Product Development System as part of enterprise-wide strategic and operational goals.

Cedric’s career spans program management, embedded software development, powertrain calibration, and engine systems development. He has consistently delivered innovative, high-impact solutions—developing intellectual property, driving cross-functional initiatives, and improving development processes. His technical leadership has led to multiple patents, including a Real-Time Adaptable Stochastic Pre-Ignition Mitigation Control system and a novel method for external EGR introduction.