Gerry canned? McGovern leaves JLR

McGovern’s surprise exit comes as JLR advances work on the Jaguar Type 00, the first model of Jaguar's all-electric reboot and the car intended to define the brand’s new ultra-luxury design direction.

During his tenure, McGovern established the reductive, architectural design language that now characterises Range Rover, Defender and Discovery, while elevating Range Rover into a standalone luxury marque under the Reimagine transformation plan. He was appointed chief creative officer and a member of the board in 2020.

Despite nearing retirement age, McGovern's sudden departure came as shock to the industry. Autocar India reported that McGovern was "escorted from the building" while sources close to CDN said that the news was met with audible cheers from some JLR staff.  

However, JLR released the following statement to CDN: 

“It is untrue that we have terminated Gerry McGovern’s employment and we do not intend to further comment on speculative stories."

When asked if McGovern is still working at JLR, received the following response: "It's not on record that Gerry has left the business, I appreciate this allows space for speculation."

McGovern first joined Land Rover in the late 1980s before senior roles at Ford and Lincoln. He returned in 2004 to lead Land Rover design and later assumed responsibility across all JLR brands.

McGovern's departure arrives at a pivotal moment for JLR as it prepares a series of high-profile EV launches, with Jaguar’s Type 00 positioned as the flagship for a full-scale brand renaissance.