JLR CEO Balaji's early trials: top exit, cyberattack impact

Gerry McGovern's abrupt removal has created uncertainty over brand and design strategy

- Ayaan Kartik

The tenure of Jaguar Land Rover's (JLR) new chief executive P.B. Balaji, has begun with twin crises of dealing with the exit of chief creative officer Gerry McGovern and the loss of business due to the halt in production in September and October owing to the cyberattack.

According to a report in Autocar India, McGovern was sacked from his role at the Tata Motors PV owned JLR and was escorted out of the company's office in Coventry, UK. The development comes just a couple of weeks after Tata Motors' former CFO, Balaji, took over as the chief executive of the UK-based company on 17 November. The company has not yet appointed a replacement for McGovern.

Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd shares fell 1.17% on Wednesday, compared to a 1.2% fall in Nifty Auto index. The chief creative officer is responsible for the brand image and design language of an automotive brand, with McGovern considered close to the late industrialist Ratan Tata.

McGovern's exit, who was with JLR since 2004, is the second high profile departure at the British firm following the announcement in July of Adrian Mardell's departure from the role of chief executive. During this period, the company faced a cyberattack, which forced it to halt production in September and for a few days in October.