JLR has axed design boss Gerry McGovern, sources inside the firm have told Autocar and Autocar India.
It is understood that the brand’s chief creative officer was asked to leave the firm on Monday and his position was terminated with immediate effect.
Autocar India's source suggested McGovern was "escorted out of the office", although the exact details as to why are not yet known.
When approached, a spokesperson for JLR replied: "No comment." Parent company Tata Motors has not yet responded.
Further circumstances around the decision are light on detail, but it comes just a week after new CEO PB Balaji – formerly finance boss of Tata Motors – took over from the retiring Adrian Mardell, potentially signalling that JLR's India-based parent could be angling for an even tighter grip on the British car maker.
READ MORE: Who will replace McGovern at JLR? Your guess is as good as mine
McGovern was considered a hugely influential figure on JLR’s board and was a favourite of the late Ratan Tata, former chairman of the wider Tata Group.
It brings to an end a 21-year career at JLR for McGovern that has been filled with highlights.
The Coventry-born designer is responsible for the modern-day reinvention of the Defender, helping to keep the four-car Range Rover line-up ever popular and reinventing Jaguar for its transition into an electric-only car maker, which includes creating the highly controversial Type 00 Concept (below). He was also key in JLR's 2021 Reimagine strategy.
Before JLR, McGovern worked on the MG EXE concept car, the MGF roadster and the first Land Rover Freelander while at British Leyland. He then moved to Ford in 1999 to head up the Lincoln‑Mercury brands, setting up studios in California. He returned to the UK to run a design consultancy in London before rejoining Land Rover in 2004.
McGovern’s design work led him to be named Autocar’s Sturmey Award winner in 2020, an award presented for innovation and achievement.
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Looking into what he ACTUALLY designed, rather than being the boss of the team, his OBE sounds well deserved, Other Bu99ers Efforts !
I'm just flabbergasted that JLR came within a sparkplug width of breaking the German big four's vice like grip on the market to....essentially becoming a fashion brand that just happens to create one or two cars a month.
Ralf Speth must have his head in his hands right now..
It's called the 'McGovern effect'. Described as being so full of your own self-confidence and tasteless wealth worship that you effectively disappear up your own arsehole and become completely blind to what a total wanker you've clearly become.
Odd and sudden departure - until we know the real reason why it's all speculation.
That said, the 00 has been making a lot of appearances lately, for no apparent reason. Someone trying to showboat their ideas again to boost their position?
Maybe it's to remind people that Jaguar still exist (sort of) given that they chose to cease production of all cars, not to mention the impact of the cyber attack on the JLR supply chain.
Clearly the new boss at JLR has a difference of opinion with Gerry and only time will tell what happens to Jaguar now. Getting cars in production asap would seem essential even if that's a case of re-releasing some models!