8:00 am, December 15, 2025
JLR has denied ‘speculative’ reports that design chief Gerry McGovern has been sacked from his role after more than two decades with the carmaker.
Rumours of have been running rife over the last week after Autocar India initially reported that McGovern had been ‘asked to leave the business’.
The story was picked up all over the world, with sources claiming that the chief creative officer had been ‘escorted off the premises’.
JLR declined to comment when approached by Car Dealer but has now issued a brief statement, following days of speculation.
The carmaker denied that McGovern’s employment had been terminated but declined to confirm whether or not he is still working for the Gaydon-based firm.
A spokesman for JLR told Automotive News Europe: ‘It is untrue that we have terminated Gerry McGovern’s employment and we do not intend to further comment on speculative stories.’
McGovern’s apparent departure only a week after a change in leadership at JLR, with PB Balaji who was formerly Tata’s chief financial officer taking over from Adrian Mardell as JLR CEO.
If the sources are correct, this brings to an end a career spanning more than two decades for McGovern at the British-based business.
He rejoined the company in 2004 and since then has been responsible for the reshaping of the company’s design, including the Range Rover’s position as the luxury car of choice.
Many of his designs have gone on to prove themselves as true sales successes for the brand and at dealerships.
However, the most recent design controversy came from Jaguar’s Type 00, which set tongues wagging about a very different direction for the historic brand.
The parting of McGovern and JLR would be almost a year to the day since the wraps were finally taken off that car.
