Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) CEO Adrian Mardell will retire after three years in the role and 35 years at the company, JLR announced on July 31, 2025. His departure follows a major rebranding effort at Jaguar and a wider shift toward electric vehicles (EVs), which has faced strong criticism and a sharp drop in sales.
Mardell, 64, joined JLR in 1990 and became CEO in November 2022. Under his leadership, the company saw financial improvement, reporting a £2.5 billion pre-tax profit in 2024–25, the highest in a decade, and cutting £5 billion in debt. He also launched Jaguar’s new Type 00 concept as part of the company’s goal to become an all-electric luxury brand by 2026.
However, the rebrand sparked backlash. Jaguar replaced its classic “growler” logo with a modern design and ran an ad campaign that featured no cars. Public figures such as Elon Musk and Nigel Farage criticized the changes, calling them “woke.” Jaguar sales in Europe fell sharply, with just 49 cars sold in April 2025 compared to nearly 2,000 a year earlier.
JLR said comparisons were misleading, as the company stopped producing petrol models in 2024 to prepare for its EV lineup. A spokesperson confirmed Mardell’s retirement and said a successor would be named soon.
Mardell’s exit comes as JLR also deals with new challenges. U.S. tariffs introduced by President Donald Trump forced the company to pause exports to the U.S., a key market. In addition, JLR recently announced 500 job cuts in the UK and delays to the launch of its electric Range Rover until 2026.
Despite these issues, the company says it remains on track to reach a 10% profit margin by 2026, helped by strong sales of its Range Rover and Defender models.
Mardell’s retirement marks a major leadership change as JLR continues its transition toward an all-electric future.
