JAGUAR LAND ROVER has chosen the former head of Renault as its new chief executive.
Thierry Bolloré, 57, will take the wheel from longstanding CEO Prof Ralph Speth.
Mr Bolloré faces the challenge of hauling the nation’s largest car manufacturer back into profit after revenues were hammered by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Frenchman, who ran Renault from 2018 to 2019, will become JLR chief executive on September 10.
He was ousted from Renault last year in the wake of the Carlos Ghosn scandal, with allegations of financial misconduct levelled against Mr Ghosn.
Ghosn denies the charges by Japanese authorities, having made a dramatic escape from Japan in 2019 insisting he was a victim of police persecution.
Mr Bolloré’s shortlived tenure of Nissan-Renault came after Mr Ghosn arrest.
His leadership of Jaguar Land Rover is set to be marked by supply chain issues, Brexit uncertainty and rapid plans for electrification of vehicles.
“It will be my privilege to lead this fantastic company through what continues to be the most testing time of our generation,” Bolloré said following Jaguar Land Rover’s announcement.
JLR was hit this year first by disruption to sales in China and then by lockdowns across Europe and North America as the COVID-19 outbreak spread around the globe.
