JLR has removed design boss Gerry McGovern from his position, according to insiders speaking to Autocar and Autocar India.
Word is that the company’s chief creative officer was asked to leave on Monday, with his role terminated on the spot.
A source quoted by Autocar India claimed McGovern was escorted out of the building, but the exact reasons behind the move are still unclear.
Details remain thin, but the timing is interesting. The decision follows just a week after new CEO PB Balaji stepped in, taking over from the retiring Adrian Mardell. Balaji, previously Tata Motors’ finance chief, could be preparing to tighten the parent company’s control over the British brand.
McGovern has long been a powerful figure inside JLR and was known to have a strong relationship with the late Ratan Tata, former chairman of the wider Tata Group.
His departure ends a 21-year run at JLR, a period packed with major milestones.
The Coventry-born designer played a central role in the modern revival of the Defender, kept the Range Rover family at the top of the luxury SUV world, and shaped Jaguar’s move toward an electric-only future, including the bold and divisive Type 00 Concept.