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After 35 years at the company, Adrian Mardell is stepping down as CEO of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). The decision, announced late last week, follows a controversial rebrand campaign for Jaguar that left audiences divided. JLR’s latest advert showcased androgynous models in a series of colourful outfits, featuring abstract slogans such as “Delete Ordinary”, “Copy Nothing” and “Live Vivid”. The advert did not feature a car throughout the entirety of its 31 second duration.
Image Courtesy of Jaguar Land Rover
“Jaguar did a stupid, and seriously WOKE advertisement, THAT IS A TOTAL DISASTER!”.Corporate, ‘anti-woke’ activist Robby Starbuck echoed this sentiment, joking,
“This just made me want to sell my Jaguar and I don’t even own a Jaguar.”JLR has hit back against criticism, stating,
“Our brand relaunch for Jaguar is a bold and imaginative reinvention and, as expected, it has attracted attention and debate… The brand reveal is only the first step in this exciting new era, and we look forward to sharing more on Jaguar’s transformation in the coming days and weeks.”Yet, Mardell’s leadership has been marked with notable success. Under his management JLR has experienced its highest profit levels in a decade and the elimination of $6.6 billion in debt. The company denies any connection between their new marketing campaign and Mardell’s departure, arguing the decision has been planned for some time. On Monday, JLR announced that they had selected, PB Balaji, CFO of parent company, Tata Motors, as Mardell’s successor. Balaji has been at Tata since 2017 and boasts 32 years of automotive experience. He is expected to continue with the company’s ambitious shift towards an all-electric vehicle strategy. Balaji will step into his new role in November 2025. Keep up-to-date with the latest mobility news by subscribing to MOVEMNT’s free newsletter
