Gerry McGovern to leave JLR as design chief

For more than 20 years, Gerry McGovern has been one of the key figures at JLR, shaping the visual identity of several models. That period is now nearing its close.

In a statement, JLR said its design chief will step down at the end of March to set up his own design consultancy.

His legacy

Before joining JLR, Gerry McGovern worked at British Leyland, contributing to the MG EXE concept, the MGF sports car and the first-generation Land Rover Freelander. In 1999, he moved to Ford, where he oversaw the design studios for the Lincoln and Mercury brands and set up teams in California. After returning to the UK, he established a creative consultancy in London, before rejoining Land Rover in 2004.

McGovern’s name is linked to several vehicles that helped define what JLR represents today. Under his leadership, the Land Rover range (now split into the Defender, Discovery and Range Rover brands) broadened with two of its most successful products: the Range Rover Evoque and the Velar. Both models played a decisive role in cementing the brand as a dominant force in the premium SUV segment.

One of his most emblematic projects was the reimagining of the Defender (now a standalone brand). Discontinued in 2016 after 68 years of production, the model returned in 2019 with a new design (overseen by McGovern) that reinterpreted it for a different audience and market positioning.

The new Defender quickly established itself as a benchmark among large premium SUVs and as one of JLR’s key commercial drivers.

The final major chapter of his tenure is also the most controversial: Jaguar’s reinvention for the electric era. He led the development of the Type 00 prototype, unveiled in Miami in 2024, as the visual starting point for “the new Jaguar”.

The communications campaign ahead of the reveal drew immediate criticism. The strategic decision to position Jaguar as an all-electric brand-at a time when rivals are tempering their full-electrification ambitions-is being viewed with scepticism across the industry.

An abrupt departure

News of McGovern’s departure does not exactly come as a shock. In December, Autocar reported exclusively that the design chief had been asked to leave his role and, according to the same sources, was escorted out of the company’s building.

At the time, JLR declined to comment, and the claim was never officially confirmed. For weeks, the company did not clarify whether McGovern remained in post-an uncertainty now settled by the announcement that his duties will end.

His exit came just a week after PB Balaji-former chief financial officer of Tata Motors (the Indian group that owns JLR)-took over leadership of the British carmaker, replacing the retired Adrian Mardell.

“Gerry’s creative leadership, vision, determination and passion have left an indelible mark on our brands,” said PB Balaji, JLR’s chief executive officer. “I would like to thank Gerry for the significant contribution he has made to JLR and wish him every success in his next creative chapter,” he added.

What happens next?

As noted above, McGovern will leave JLR to create his own design consultancy, returning to a world he has already experienced before his return to Land Rover in 2004. However, the more pressing question is not what he will do next, but who will fill the space he is about to leave behind.

Jaguar is currently in a holding pattern. It has stopped selling cars to prepare for its electric transition, and the first model of the new era (a high-performance saloon designed by McGovern) is expected to be unveiled later this year.

Gerry McGovern departs just before seeing the market arrival of one of his most controversial pieces of work: “it has been a great privilege to work at JLR over two extraordinary decades. The dedication and passion of thousands of people have made these brands what they are today, and I am immensely proud of what we have built together,” he said.