7:33 am, November 6, 2025
Former Harwoods Group CEO and Volvo UK boss Jon Wakefield has been appointed as managing director of AION Auto UK.
The company is a joint venture between Chinese carmaker GAC, and international vehicle distribution specialist Jameel Motors. The latter already imports Geely’s Farizon commercial vehicle brand into the UK.
AION is the latest Chinese car brand to appear on UK shores, and has bold expansion plans. It’ll officially launch in 2026 with an official dealer network.
AION’s first car for UK customers will be a C-segment electric SUV. The brand says the AION V will offer ‘all-electric range among the best in the class, an exceptionally spacious and versatile interior, a five-star Euro NCAP rating, and an eight-year warranty’.
Following a few months later will be the UT, a B-segment hatchback.
Wakefield said he will ‘relish’ the challenge of starting with a ‘clean sheet’.
‘It’s not often you get the opportunity to start from a clean sheet, so I’m very much relishing the challenge,’ he said.
‘We’re building a new business for a well-established Chinese brand in a new market, but our joint venture structure uniquely allows us to draw on long-established resources and expertise of two automotive powerhouses.’
He added: ‘We can act with confidence and authority to pursue a strategy for long-term sustainable growth, and our entire operation can enjoy the benefits and agility of being a start-up.
‘These include the way we collaborate with our retail partners, how we introduce our products, and how we focus on delivering an excellent customer experience.’
Previously, Wakefield was CEO of Harwoods Group. He was appointed to lead the dealer group in 2023 but in September 2024 stood down with immediate effect.
Wakefield had worked for Volvo Car UK for six years as sales director and then managing director.
He then transferred to Sweden to run Volvo’s home market as MD and was then promoted to VP Western Europe. He left Volvo in 2022.
