JLR CEO Adrian Mardell to retire after transformative three-year tenure
Autocar
reports.
Mardell took charge in 2023 following the abrupt departure of Thierry Bolloré and has since led the British luxury carmaker through one of its most pivotal transformations. His tenure was marked by a significant financial turnaround, a renewed retail strategy, and the early stages of JLR's shift to an all-electric portfolio.
Under his leadership, JLR returned to profitability, driven by strong global demand for its high-margin models, notably the Defender and the Range Rover. These successes helped put the company on track to achieve its targeted 10 per cent operating margin by FY26.
Key achievements under his leadership
He also oversaw the rollout of JLR's 'House of Brands' strategy, positioning Defender, Discovery, Range Rover, and Jaguar as distinct entities, each with its own brand identity and customer base. But perhaps the most ambitious of Mardell's initiatives has been Jaguar's repositioning as a premium all-electric brand, aimed at rivalling the likes of Bentley rather than BMW or Mercedes-Benz.
This new direction was crystallised in the unveiling of the Jaguar Type 00 concept – a dramatic four-door GT EV that Mardell himself described as 'the most fun I've had' during his time at the company. The production version of the car is currently in the final testing phase and is expected to be unveiled by the end of 2025, with a market launch planned for mid-2026.
A tough road for JLR
Mardell departs at a time when JLR is on firmer ground but still faces headwinds. Chief among them are trade-related hurdles, including newly imposed US tariffs on foreign-built vehicles. While the UK recently negotiated a tariff cap with the US — lowering duties on the first 100,000 vehicles to 10 per cent — units above that limit, including some models built in Slovakia, will attract the full 25 per cent rate.
Moreover, the global premium EV market remains volatile, prompting delays such as the Range Rover EV, which was initially slated for a 2025 launch. The company has yet to announce a revised timeline for the model or clarify the production schedule for the new Jaguar EVs.
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