Latest news with #PB Balaji
The Sun
5 days ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
New Jaguar boss slams backlash over ‘woke rebrand' & claims ‘customers like it' – after Trump said brand is in ‘turmoil'
THE NEW boss of Jaguar has slammed the recent backlash over its 'woke rebrand' - after Donald Trump said the company is in "turmoil" Jaguar Land Rover's next CEO has shaken off President Donald Trump's recent remarks, insisting that the carmaker is in good shape. 6 6 6 Trump has accused the British manufacturer of being in "absolute turmoil", following the release of what he called its"woke" advert last year. However, future company CEO, PB Balaji, has insisted that customers are responding positively to the controversial rebrand, Automotive News reports. As part of the manufacturer's new look, it has ditched its signature wild cat logo. Also the glossy video teaser, which sparked outrage in November, is centred around bright colours and catwalk models - failing to feature any actual cars. When the 30-second ad was first unveiled, flashing up a number of slogans, including "live vivid", "delete ordinary" and "copy nothing", fans on social media were not happy. While this new image has been met with mixed reviews, the automaker is sticking to it, said Balaji. Balaji is the current chief financial officer of JLR Tata Motors, and will be taking over as JLR's CEO in November later this year. He told Automotive News last week: "We have put our plans together, the cars are being revealed, they're getting exciting responses from the customers on the ground. "Therefore that's what the strategy is." In response to Trump's comments, Balaji said that JLR's performance is a struggling global car industry proved the company is on the right track. He added: "You need to compare our numbers vis-à-vis how others are delivering." His comments also seem to reject Trump's assertion that JLR's current CEO is resigning over the rebrand. Adrian Mardell, 64, will leave the firm in December after being with the company for 35 years. Mardell faced severe criticism from famous names and fans alike following the rebrand. Also, just months after the controversial ad, the British manufacturer faced a huge blow, announcing it was axing up to 500 jobs. July saw another blow for the company after it was revealed that European sales had plunged 97.5 per cent. However, despite the President's speculation, it seems the Mardell's exit is not related to the rebrand backlash. JLR revealed on August 8 that its pretax profit for three months to June 30 fell 49 per cent to £351million, on lower demand fro Discovery and Range Rover SUVs, along with the impact of U.S tariffs and currency headwinds. Its profit margin also dropped to 4.0 per cent from 8.9 per cent in the same quarter last year. After years of pricing missteps and market share erosion, Stellantis is beginning to correct course. Family-owned dealerships should keep a close eye on this shift as it may represent a rare opportunity to buy, sell, or grow in a rebounding franchise. The Jaguar Type 00 concept was unveiled in Miami last December. Jaguar is not producing any cars until the new fully electric lineup is ready next year. The manufacturer is aiming to target younger consumers with its new campaign, after previously being renowned as a status symbol among middle-aged men in the UK. It now plans to sell fewer cars but at higher prices, according to Automotive News. The carmaker's promotional video also caught the attention of Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage, who said it risked "going bust." Even Tesla CEO Elon Musk, chimed in asking whether Jaguar even still sell cars given the lack of them in the video. 6 6 6
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
New JLR boss stands firm against criticism of Jaguar's 'seriously woke' rebrand
Jaguar Land Rover's incoming boss has defended Jaguar's contentious rebrand in his first statements given since being confirmed as new chief executive. PB Balaji, 54, will take the reigns at JLR from November and with it the responsibility to steer its direction and transition to EVs over the next decade. News of his appointment last Monday came just hours after the latest in a tidal wave of criticism of Jaguar's electric reset revealed last year, which included a colourful 'copy nothing' advertising campaign featuring striking models but no cars. President Donald Trump, using the Truth Social platform, last week took aim, calling the ad and wider strategy 'stupid, and seriously woke' and a move that has left Jaguar in 'absolute turmoil'. But Balaji gave a resolute response when asked about the POTUS' comments by reporters, claiming the car maker has seen a positive response to its new image. According to the Telegraph, he said: 'We have put our plans together, the cars are being revealed, they're getting exciting response from the customers on the ground. Therefore that's what the strategy is.' Trump's scathing attack on Jaguar stated: 'Jaguar did a stupid, and seriously WOKE advertisement, THAT IS A TOTAL DISASTER! 'The CEO just resigned in disgrace, and the company is in absolute turmoil. 'Who wants to buy a Jaguar after looking at that disgraceful ad.' His social media attack follows similar sentiments expressed by Elon Musk and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage towards Jaguar's overhaul - the latter accusing Jaguar of going 'absolutely bonkers' and 'showing a bunch of weirdos'. Asked about Mr Trump's criticism and claims that the brand was in 'turmoil', Mr Balaji - who remains finance chief of JLR's parent group Tata Motors for another three months - said: 'You need to compare our numbers vis-à-vis how others are delivering.' Last week, it was revealed that JLR's profits had nearly halved after a 9.2 per cent (£6.6billion) drop in sales. This was due to a combination of the company winding-up production of new Jaguars in the UK in November, and a month-long pause in Land Rover shipments to the US following Trump's initial threat of 25 per cent tariffs on incoming vehicles. After Sir Keir Starmer negotiated an improved deal of 10 per cent levies on the first 100,000 cars exported to the US annually, JLR restarted deliveries to the United States. Financial results published last week showed the group had experienced a 49.4 per cent decline in underlying profits to £351million in the three months to the end of June. JLR said US tariffs had a 'direct and material impact on profitability and cash flow in the period'. But it added the 'US-UK trade deal will significantly reduce the financial impact of US tariffs going forward'. Balaji's move into the JLR hot seat was rubberstamped last week with the announcement that he will replace the departing Adrian Mardell at the helm of the Indian-owned British car maker. Mardell, 64, in the last three years has played a pivotal role in the decision to Jaguar into an all-electric luxury car maker from 2026 as the iconic British marque boldly draws a line under its 90-year history with the combustion engine. The manufacturer said in July that he had 'expressed his desire to retire' having served the company in various roles for 35 years. As well as the polarising ad campaign, the first phase of the rebrand unveiled in November 2024 included replacing Jaguar's legendary 'growler' badge with a more contemporary mirrored 'J' logo, and the unveiling of the controversial Concept 00 vehicle - a prototype that shows the design direction of its £100,000-plus premium EVs. Mr Balaji's appointment will see JLR's parent firm Tata Motors take a more hands-on approach to the car maker, having allowed the manufacturer to operate at an arm's length since buying the company in 2008. In his role as the CFO, he has been part of the executive committee at Tata Motors and been responsible for financial performance. He has also served as a non‑executive director on the board of JLR since December 2017.
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Trump attacks ‘woke' Jaguar as carmaker names first Indian chief
Jaguar Land Rover has appointed its first Indian chief executive as Donald Trump accused the company of being in 'absolute turmoil' following a 'woke' marketing campaign. PB Balaji, chief financial officer at the the carmaker's Indian owners, Tata Motors, is to take up the post in November as Jaguar deals with the fallout of a rebrand in which it ditched its big cat logo and embraced a new hot pink aesthetic. On Monday, the US president contrasted the fortunes of Britain's Jaguar with American Eagle, a US clothing brand that recently saw its share price surge after debuting an advertising campaign with actress Sydney Sweeney. Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social social media platform: 'Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the 'HOTTEST' ad out there. It's for American Eagle, and the jeans are 'flying off the shelves.' Go get 'em Sydney! 'On the other side of the ledger, Jaguar did a stupid, and seriously WOKE advertisement, THAT IS A TOTAL DISASTER! The CEO just resigned in disgrace, and the company is in absolute turmoil. Who wants to buy a Jaguar after looking at that disgraceful ad.' It comes days after Adrian Mardell, the 64-year-old boss of Jaguar Land Rover, announced his intention to retire. Under Mr Mardell, the car company sought to shake off its traditional image as a brand for 'Jag Men' and instead target a younger demographic. As part of plans to relaunch the brand, Jaguar last year debuted an advertising campaign depicting a bright pink, Mars-like landscape and catwalk models wearing unusual, brightly coloured clothing – but no car. The clip was widely mocked online. Jaguar has also ditched its jumping cat logo and last December debuted a 'Barbie pink' concept car at Miami Art Week. Credit: Jaguar Critics have accused Jaguar of abandoning its core customers. Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, accusing Jaguar of going 'absolutely bonkers … showing a bunch of weirdos'. He predicted that the carmaker would 'now go bust. And you know what? They deserve to'. The appointment of Mr Balaji marks the first time Tata Motors has appointed a Jaguar Land Rover leader from within its own ranks since buying the two distinguished British brands from Ford at the height of the financial crisis. Mr Balaji, a mechanical engineering graduate, has worked at Tata Motors for almost eight years and has overseen a turnaround at JLR's parent company. The company has long been a dominant player in the Indian car market but was loss-making when he arrived. Tata Motor's share price has soared around 270pc since he arrived. At Jaguar, Mr Balaji must oversee a make-or-break relaunch of the brand. New Jaguars are currently unavailable in the UK as the carmaker prepares to launch an all-electric range next year. On Monday, Mr Trump said that Jaguar should have 'learned a lesson from Bud Lite, which went Woke and essentially destroyed, in a short campaign, the Company.' Two years ago, Bud Lite enraged Right-wingers in America and saw its sales plummet after it used transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in its marketing. Mr Trump said on Truth Social: 'The tide has seriously turned – Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be.' His comments also came after it emerged that Ms Sweeney was a registered Republican. Records uncovered over the weekend show she registered with the party in June last year. Shares in American Eagle jumped 17pc after the president's endorsement. Jaguar Land Rover's sales dipped to £25.2bn for the year to March 31, down from £25.7bn a year earlier. The company said this was driven by 'the prioritisation of higher margin vehicles'. More recently, the company's business has been hugely disrupted by US tariffs. JLR's sales to the US were temporarily paused in April after Mr Trump announced a 25pc tariff on car imports. The British carmaker sells around 100,000 vehicles each year in the US and the trade war put some £6.5bn in sales at risk. The US-UK trade deal secured a 10pc tariff for the first 100,000 British vehicles exported, seen as predominantly benefitting JLR. Aston Martin has pushed for rules to stop the system becoming 'a JLR tariff agreement'. Last week, the company said: 'Adrian Mardell has expressed his desire to retire from JLR after three years as CEO and 35 years with the company.' Jaguar Land Rover has been approached for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
