Jaguar design boss Gerry McGovern firing Confirmed by Tata Motors CEO Shakeup
Without any warning, Jaguar design boss Gerry McGovern has reportedly been abruptly fired in a shakeup said to have been instigated by the new CEO of parent company Tata Motors, PB Balaji. The Jaguar design boss Gerry McGovern firing brings to an end his 21-year career with JLR, during which he was instrumental in shaping the modern identities of both Jaguar and Land Rover.
McGovern’s sudden exit comes swiftly after PB Balaji, a finance and supply chain specialist, assumed the CEO role on November 17, 2025. With McGovern being the architect of the brand’s risky, design-led electric future, the timing signals a potential complete reset of Jaguar’s strategy.
Here is a look at the massive legacy McGovern leaves behind and the uncertainty surrounding Jaguar’s six-figure EV plans.
McGovern’s Transformative Legacy
Gerry McGovern OBE was one of the most influential members of the JLR board, responsible for transforming Land Rover into the luxury brand it is today.
| Iconic Design | Model Launched / Era | Significance |
| Range Rover | Third Generation (2001–2012) | Led the team that created the modern luxury SUV template. |
| Range Rover Evoque | 2011 (LRX Concept) | The first complete manifestation of McGovern’s design strategy after his return; a global sales success. |
| New Defender | 2020 | Successfully reimagined an off-road icon for the modern luxury era. |
| Latest Flagships | Range Rover / Range Rover Sport | The reductive, clean, and acclaimed design language of the current generation. |
| Jaguar | Controversial Type 00 Concept | His most recent work, signaling Jaguar’s pivot to ultra-luxury EV-only status. |
The Controversy and The Future
The most recent work overseen by McGovern was the polarizing and controversial Jaguar Type 00 concept. This design was intended to promote Jaguar’s complete reinvention as an ultra-luxury, high-price, EV-only brand, moving into the space of Bentley and Rolls-Royce.
The abrupt nature of the Jaguar design boss Gerry McGovern firing—with sources claiming he was “escorted out of the office”—suggests a clash in priorities between the design-led vision and the new CEO’s focus on restructuring, cost discipline, and financial stability.
- EV Strategy Risk: Jaguar’s planned electric GT, which is slated to cost no less than six figures and was McGovern’s flagship project, has already faced production delays and cost ballooning.
- Likely Outcome: While it would be too expensive to scrap the car entirely, the delay may allow the new leadership enough time to dial back the strategy to something more attainable and profitable, making the future of Jaguar’s high-price, low-volume dream uncertain without its key creative architect.
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