Jaguar Land Rover appoints Thierry Bollore as new CEO

Ex-Renault CEO Thierry Bollore has been announced as the new CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, replacing Dr Ralf Speth, who had earlier this year announced his decision to retire at the end of his contract term, in September 2020, after 10 years at the helm.

The Frenchman will assume his new role on 10 September, following his dismissal from Groupe Renault’s board of directors in October last year. Reports at the time suggested Renault was aiming to distance itself from disgraced former chief Carlos Ghosn and that Bolloré had a difficult relationship with bosses at partner brand Nissan. 

The appointment was announced by N Chandrasekaran, chairman of JLR parent company Tata Motors, who said: "I'm delighted to welcome Thierry to Jaguar Land Rover. An established global business leader with a proven track record of implementing complex transformations, Thierry will bring a wealth of experience to one of the most revered positions in the industry."

Bollore brings more than 30 years of experience to his new position, having previously held management roles at tyre manufacturer Michelin and parts manufacturer Faurecia before joining the board at Groupe Renault in September 2012. He was named CEO on 24 January 2019 but served for only 10 months before being ousted in a surprise management shake-up. 

Commenting on his appointment, Bollore said: “Jaguar Land Rover is known around the world for its peerless brand heritage, exquisite design and deep engineering integrity. It will be my privilege to lead this fantastic company through what continues to be the most testing time of our generation.

“Renowned for their passion and spirit, the people of Jaguar Land Rover are the driving force behind its success. I couldn’t be more excited to join the team continuing to shape the future of this iconic company.”

Speth, who won the Issigonis Trophy at Autocar UK Awards 2017, will assume the role of non-executive vice-chairman of Jaguar Land Rover. 

N Chandrasekaran added: “I want to thank Ralf for a decade of outstanding vision and leadership for Jaguar Land Rover and welcome him to his new non-executive position in addition to his existing role on the board of Tata Sons.”

It is to be noted that JLR, since becoming a part of Tata Motors, has sold 4.79 million cars worldwide between 2009 to 2019.