Jaguar denies firing Gerry McGovern amid EV rebrand

There seems to be no end to the latest drama at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), with speculations raging across the automotive world. Widely circulated reports claimed that Gerry McGovern, the automaker's Chief Creative Officer and the architect of Jaguar's controversial EV rebrand, was fired. However, JLR has now stepped forward, attempting to quiet the swirling rumors with a statement that leaves many questions unanswered.

The initial reports, published by Autocar India, claimed that McGovern, 69, was let go and even escorted from the office premises. Given that the news broke just ten days after PB Balaji, the former financial chief of JLR's parent company, Tata Motors, took over as the new CEO, many commentators immediately saw the move as the first sign of a significant leadership shakeup. For a man who has shaped the design direction of both Land Rover - with hits like the rejuvenated Defender SUV - and the luxury-focused future of Jaguar, an abrupt ending to his two-decade career was a shock.

For a time, JLR's silence was deafening, which led many to assume the firing was true. Prominent figures, like Professor David Bailey of the UK's Birmingham Business School, commented on the gravity of the reported departure, calling it "not just the end of a brilliant two-decade creative tour de force at JLR, but also a huge pivot point for Jaguar itself." This dramatic exit, it was thought, could completely derail the path set for Jaguar's transformation into an all-electric, ultra-luxury brand.

McGovern, who took charge of both Jaguar and Land Rover design in 2020 after previously leading Land Rover design since 2006, oversaw the rollout of the polarizing Type 00 concept. This electric grand tourer is a preview of the production sedan launching next year, and is a radical departure from traditional Jaguar styling. It introduces a new design philosophy with a bold, monolithic shape, a long hood, and an interior centered around opulent materials like travertine stone and brass, a shift that has sparked both admiration and sharp criticism.

The production car will use JLR's new dedicated EV platform, the Jaguar Electric Architecture (JEA), and is rumored to offer an estimated range of up to 455 miles, with a targeted power output of 708 kW (956 horsepower).

In a late-breaking attempt to control the narrative, JLR issued a strong denial on December 12th. The automaker stated, "It is untrue that we have terminated Gerry McGovern's employment, and we do not intend to further comment on speculative stories."

This categorical denial directly addressed the claims of termination, but curiously, it avoided confirming whether McGovern still holds any active role or remains an employee of the company. The company's refusal to clarify his current working status is now the main subject of industry gossip.

The sudden rumors, the silence, and the final, but incomplete, denial have cast a shadow of uncertainty over JLR's critical transition into the age of electric cars. With the launch of the next-generation Jaguar scheduled for next year, the company needs stability and clear leadership.

Via