Gerry McGovern, the creative force behind Jaguar’s recent «woke» rebrand, has reportedly been dismissed from Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) just days after the company appointed a new chief executive.
McGovern, who served as JLR’s chief creative officer and spent more than 20 years shaping the company’s design direction, was informed on Monday that his employment was terminated with immediate effect. He was then escorted from the premises, according to reports. JLR declined to comment on the circumstances of his departure.
The shake-up comes shortly after PB Balaji, previously the finance chief of Tata Motors, replaced Adrian Mardell as JLR CEO. Mardell, who had overseen the rebranding strategy, retired in November.
McGovern was central to the redesign of Land Rover’s Defender and the Range Rover line, but he became most widely known for steering Jaguar’s radical new identity. The rebrand, aimed at repositioning the marque toward ultra-luxury buyers, featured bright pink and blue design concepts and promotional material starring androgynous models, but no cars. Critics, including Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, derided the campaign as excessively «woke».
Despite the backlash, Jaguar executives had defended the strategy as essential to redefining the brand. Sales of Jaguar models were halted in late 2024 to prepare for an all-electric relaunch, originally planned for 2025 but now delayed to 2026. The first new model is expected to be a four-door grand tourer rather than the pink «Type 00» concept previously unveiled.
McGovern’s sudden exit raises new questions about Jaguar’s direction as the company navigates uncertainty around its electric future and attempts to revive its identity in a crowded luxury market.
