Gerry McGovern, former Chief Design Officer of the Jaguar Land Rover group, has left the company following a restructuring initiated by the new CEO PB Balaji. McGovern, 69, has overseen the design of the Jaguar and Land Rover brands since 2020, after being promoted from Land Rover Design Director, a position he had held since 2006.
Among the British designer’s achievements is that of having breathed new life into the Land Rover brand thanks to a range of models with winning designs, such as the new Defender. McGovern and his team were the inventors of successful cars such as the Range Rover Evoque and the Velar. Under his stylistic leadership, the brand consolidated its position as a manufacturer of luxury SUVs. His most controversial car? Certainly the Type 00, a car that was supposed to represent Jaguar’s new stylistic manifesto but which has been the subject of much criticism, especially on social networks.
Before joining Jaguar Land Rover, McGovern previously held positions at Chrysler, Peugeot, Rover Group, and Ford, where he was responsible for revitalizing the Lincoln-Mercury brands. The British designer holds a degree in industrial design from Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University) and a master’s degree from the Royal College of Art in London. He is a visiting professor at the Royal College of Art and, since 2020, an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
