Official: Gerry McGovern leaves JLR to start consultancy

JLR creative chief Gerry McGovern will officially leave the company at the end of March, Autocar can reveal.

In December, Autocar broke the news that he was asked to step down after more than two decades working on the Jaguar and Land Rover brands.

Today (Friday), employees were told McGovern was leaving to establish his own creative consultancy, and that internal memo was shared with Autocar. JLR confirmed the news when approached.

Further information regarding his new consultancy isn't yet known, but details will no doubt be released when he leaves JLR at the end of the month.

A quote from McGovern within the memo read: “It has been a great privilege to work at JLR across two extraordinary decades, and I would like to thank the Tata family in particular for the opportunities they gave me.

“The dedication and passion of thousands of people across the business have made these brands what they are today, and I am enormously proud of what we have built together. 

“I look forward to the next chapter of my creative career.”

JLR CEO PB Balaji, who took over from Adrian Mardell at the end of last year, added: “Gerry’s creative leadership, vision, drive and passion have left an indelible stamp on our brands.

"I would like to thank Gerry for the significant contribution he has made to JLR and wish him every success in his next creative chapter.”

McGovern was considered a hugely influential figure on the JLR board and was a favourite of the late Ratan Tata, former chairman of the wider Tata Group.

The Coventry-born designer has played a crucial role in JLR's recent history, including the 2021 Reimagine strategy. Key contributions include the reinvention of the Land Rover Defender, maintaining the popularity of the Range Rover line-up and overseeing the design of the Type 00 Concept as part of Jaguar's transition to an electric-only luxury car maker.