Gerry McGovern, the chief creative officer of Jaguar Land Rover, has left the company, marking yet another notable departure after CEO Adrian Mardell’s retirement in August this year, a story initially reported by Autocar and Autocar India.

Reports indicate that McGovern was dismissed and ‘led out of the office’, although specifics are still unverified.

McGovern’s abrupt departure follows quickly after PB Balaji took on the CEO position on November 17, 2025, succeeding Mardell after a planned transition.

McGovern, often seen as a favored choice of the late Ratan Tata, received significant support throughout Tata’s impactful time at Tata Group, which owns JLR; following Tata's death, that vital backing diminished, making him more vulnerable to internal changes.

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McGovern held considerable accountability for Jaguar's contentious rebranding through the Panthera project, which faced extensive criticism for undermining the brand's legacy.

Autocar India disclosed significant internal discord, revealing a 2022 letter from 25-30 design team members addressing McGovern, objecting to the outsourcing to Accenture Interactive, which they believed undermined their skills and teamwork ethos.

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Having spent more than twenty years at JLR, McGovern returned to Land Rover in 2004 as advanced design director, eventually becoming chief creative officer in 2020. He influenced iconic vehicles such as the Range Rover Evoque, Velar, and the reimagined Defender, gaining recognition for his daring Land Rover design philosophy. He departs with a powerful legacy of innovative design and daring reinvention.

According to reports, JLR is testing drone technology at its Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre (EPMC) in Wolverhampton, significantly cutting machinery and site inspection time by as much as 95 percent. The pilot represents a significant advancement in operational efficiency and employee safety, corresponding with JLR's vision for the factories of the future

 

The Flyability Elios 3 drone accesses high and small areas, enabling maintenance crews to examine equipment securely from the factory floor, removing the necessity for elevated platforms and minimizing risk. Controlled through a tablet, the drone provides a real-time 3D map for detecting and resolving issues.

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This enables JLR to reduce expensive maintenance interruptions more effectively, while also allowing employees to concentrate on other essential business activities