Mike O'Driscoll, currently President of Jaguar North America, is appointed President of Aston Martin Jaguar Land Rover North America with immediate effect. O'Driscoll will be responsible for all sales, marketing, franchise development and customer service activities in North America across all three companies.
O'Driscoll said: "This is a critical period of growth for all three marques in North America. With the integration of operations under this new organization, we will be better placed to accelerate our sales and distribution plans for all three marques, as well as take the best from each company to deliver a world-class service to our retailers and customers.
"With all three British marques operating together, we will start to achieve the critical mass required to compete head-to-head with other premium car and truck manufacturers. To be successful in the premium market, you need to be able to offer a broad range of vehicles. With Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover, we are able to offer that range without diluting the core values of each individual marque," said O'Driscoll.
All three companies will continue to operate selected functions out of their existing east coast offices in Lanham, MD and Mahwah, NJ through at least mid-2002. In mid-2002, Premier Automotive Group intends that Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover will establish a single consolidated east coast operations center in Mahwah, NJ.
The Land Rover University and Technical Training Center in Lanham, MD will be retained at its current location. Further details of this consolidation will be communicated over the course of the next several months.