![\"autocar](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry.jpg\" "\\"autocar")
<\/a><\/p>\nJames Taylor takes the helm of Nissan’s UK arm, replacing Diana Torres<\/p>\n
Welcome to Movers and Shakers, a new Autocar Business feature covering the latest job moves from across the automotive industry.<\/p>\n
This page will be updated regularly with all the biggest transfers, promotions and departures\u00a0in the sector, covering everything you need to know.<\/p>\n
Name:\u00a0James Taylor<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Nissan GB<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: Managing director<\/strong><\/p>\n Former Vauxhall<\/a> UK boss James Taylor has been appointed Nissan<\/a> GB\u2019s new managing director.<\/p>\n Taylor, who left his role at Vauxhall\u00a0in February, succeeds Diana Torres at Nissan GB, who herself only took on the role last March. He will start his role on 1 May.<\/p>\n Taylor joins Nissan GB ahead of a busy period for the Sunderland-based car maker, with the new Leaf<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0new Micra<\/a> due this year and\u00a0the next\u00a0Juke<\/a> bound to arrive in 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are very dynamic times for the automotive industry, so now, more than ever, we need to be agile and responsive to business needs and customer demands,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cNissan already makes two of the UK\u2019s top-selling cars, has exciting new products on the way and is a brand with real momentum.<\/p>\n “I look forward to working with the Nissan team, its dealer partners\u00a0and other stakeholders to navigate current industry challenges and build the business for sustainable future success.\u201d<\/p>\n Name:\u00a0Josep Maria Recasens<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Ampere<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: CEO<\/strong><\/p>\n Josep Maria Recasens has replaced Renault Group chief Luca de Meo as the CEO of its electric car<\/a> development arm, Ampere.<\/p>\n Previously Ampere’s chief operating officer, he takes the helm as Ampere gears up for the launch of the Twingo city car<\/a>,\u00a0due next year.<\/p>\n He will also be responsible for launching a new range of C-segment models in 2028, previewed by the Embl\u00e8me concept<\/a> shown earlier this year.<\/p>\n “I know that with Josep Maria at the helm, Ampere will continue and successfully accelerate its role as a spearhead for the Group and the European industry.”\u00a0said\u00a0de Meo.<\/p>\n Alongside Recasens, Ampere named\u00a0Marie Ollier its new vice-president of human resources,\u00a0Sandra Gomez its head of strategy, and\u00a0Vittorio d\u2019Arienzo its product chief.<\/p>\n Name: Ed Jones<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Nissan GB<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: Sales director<\/strong><\/p>\n Nissan GB has named Ed Jones its new sales director from 16 June.<\/p>\n Among his key responsibilities will be preparing the company for the launch of the next-generation Leaf<\/a>\u00a0EV, as well as ensuring the continued success of the Qashqai<\/a> and Juke<\/a> crossovers.\u00a0<\/p>\n Jones returns to Nissan after seven years with Audi, where he was most recently sales operations manager.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m delighted to be returning at such an exciting time,\u201d he said. \u201cNissan was the only brand with two models in the top five best-sellers in 2024 and, with increased market share and double-digit sales growth, it\u2019s a brand with real momentum in 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n He replaces Michael Auilar, who held the position for the past two years.<\/p>\n Names: Steve Hicks,\u00a0<\/strong>Sanka De Silva<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Kia UK<\/strong><\/p>\n Roles: Marketing director,\u00a0s<\/strong>ales director<\/strong><\/p>\n Kia UK has appointed Steve Hicks (left)\u00a0as its new marketing director and\u00a0Sanka De Silva as sales director – both effectively swapping roles.<\/p>\n Hicks, previously sales director for Kia UK, joined the business in 2017, leading all sales channels across retail and fleet, for new and used cars.\u00a0De Silva also joined in 2017, progressing to the\u00a0lead the wider UK marketing team.<\/p>\n Both men maintain equal position on the executive board of directors for Kia UK and continue to report to commercial director\u00a0Simon Hetherington.<\/p>\n Hicks said: \u201cKia is at a pivotal moment right now\u00a0as we enhance our position as a leader in electrification and build on our range of customer-centric electrified vehicles. I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead Kia\u2019s product positioning and marketing communications to enhance how UK consumers approach and engage with the brand.\u201d<\/p>\n De Silva said: \u201cI am thrilled to be taking on this new position at such an exciting and evolving time for Kia.\u00a0With such a strong product line-up in view, an engaged and committed dealer network and sales momentum at a promising rate, we\u2019re in a positive position and I am eager to get started and lead our sales function to new heights.\u201d<\/p>\n Name: Peter Rawlinson<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Lucid Motors<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: CEO<\/strong><\/p>\n Lucid<\/a> chief Peter Rawlinson has stepped down after six years in charge of the electric car manufacturer.<\/p>\n He will now take on a new role as strategic technical advisor to chairman Turqi Alnowaiser.\u00a0<\/p>\n Meanwhile, chief operating officer Marc Winterhoff will take on the role of interim CEO.<\/p>\n Rawlinson first joined Lucid as its chief technical officer in 2013, having previously led the development of the Tesla Model S<\/a> \u2013 the saloon widely credited with having popularised electric cars in the mainstream.<\/p>\n Lucid launched its first model, the Air saloon<\/a>, in 2021. Its headline-grabbing 549-mile range \u2013 according to European WLTP testing \u2013 soon found the firm favour as a technological leader. It has, however, yet to make a profit.<\/p>\n Indeed, Lucid made a net loss of $2.7 billion (\u00a32.1bn) last year against revenues of $807.8 million (\u00a3638m).\u00a0<\/p>\n The firm has pinned its hopes of success on the new Gravity<\/a>, a luxury SUV based on the same underpinnings as the Air.<\/p>\n It expects the new model to increase the firm’s\u00a0production from just over 10,000 cars last year to around 20,000 by the end of 2025.<\/p>\n The Gravity will be followed by a new \u2018mid-size\u2019 SUV<\/a>, due next year and pitched as a rival for the Tesla Model Y<\/a>. This will spawn a saloon (to battle\u00a0the Tesla Model 3<\/a>) and a third model.<\/p>\n “Now that we have successfully launched the Lucid Gravity, I have decided it is finally the right time for me to step aside from my roles at Lucid,” Rawlinson said in a statement.<\/p>\n Winterhoff added: “Lucid’s technology leadership is now well established and our roadmap well defined.<\/p>\n “I am honoured to step into this role as we enter the next stage in our transformational journey, and I look forward to capitalising on the tremendous opportunity this presents.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Our team remains focused on further ramping production of the Lucid Gravity, preparing for the launch of our three mid-size platform vehicles, and continuing development of our low-cost Atlas drive unit while we aggressively reduce our costs.”<\/p>\n Name: James Taylor<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Vauxhall<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: Managing director<\/strong><\/p>\n James Taylor has left the role of Vauxhall<\/a> managing director, ending his 25-year run working for the British brand.<\/p>\n He first joined Vauxhall on a student placement scheme in 1997 and returned to the firm as a commercial vehicle forecast specialist in 2000.\u00a0<\/p>\n By 2005, he was a national business manager for Vauxhall’s\u00a0then-owner, General Motors, and in 2011 he took over the brand’s crucial fleet sales channel.<\/p>\n He was named Vauxhall’s managing director at the end of 2022 and has been faced with one of the trickiest periods in its history since, negotiating a shift upmarket under new owner Stellantis and the introduction of\u00a0several electric models while\u00a0facing\u00a0government mandates<\/a> forcing their sale.<\/p>\n His departure comes as Stellantis prepares to shut\u00a0the historic Vauxhall plant in Luton<\/a>\u00a0and after the brand recorded a 21.43% decline in annual sales compared with 2023 \u2013 a significant drop\u00a0but also slightly less than that felt by arch-rival Ford<\/a> in the UK.<\/p>\n In the interim, Taylor will be replaced by Stellantis UK boss Eurig Druce. His long-term successor will be announced “in due course”, according to a company statement.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d like to sincerely thank James for more than a quarter of a century of loyalty and dedication to Vauxhall,\u201d said Druce.\u00a0\u201cJames leaves Vauxhall ready for the UK\u2019s transition to an electric future, and on behalf of his many colleagues and friends, I wish him personally all the best for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Taylor said:\u00a0\u201cI\u2019d like to thank all my colleagues, past and present, for both their amazing contributions to what has been achieved \u2013 especially in recent years, transforming Vauxhall through design, technology and marketing into an electric-first brand \u2013 and I wish them every success in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Name: Michelle Mortiboys<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Aston Martin<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: Chief product engineer<\/strong><\/p>\n Michelle Mortiboys, a nominee in the 2024 Autocar Great Women awards<\/a>, has announced that she is the new chief product engineer for Aston Martin.<\/p>\n Mortiboys joins Aston Martin from supplier Aptiv, where she was responsible for managing its European programmes and its UK site.<\/p>\n Prior to that, she was the head of automotive for Dyson\u00a0and took charge\u00a0of manufacturing at the Land Rover Defender factory in Nitra, Slovakia.\u00a0<\/p>\n During her time at JLR, she\u00a0also headed the firm’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division.<\/p>\n Name: Alex Smith<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Lookers<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: Chairman<\/strong><\/p>\n Alex Smith, the former managing director of Volkswagen Group UK, has been named the new chairman of dealer group Lookers.\u00a0<\/p>\n The company has more than 150 showrooms across the UK, with 38 brands\u00a0and more than 7000 cars across its new and used arms at any one time.\u00a0<\/p>\n Smith has also been appointed to the executive committee of Lookers owner\u00a0Global Auto Holdings Limited (GAHL), taking responsibility for the firm’s European operations.<\/p>\n “We are extremely pleased to add someone of Alex\u2019s calibre to the Lookers leadership team,” GAHL said in a statement.\u00a0“We believe his deep automotive expertise, track record of industry leading results and overall strategic capabilities will greatly benefit both Lookers as well as GAHL\u2019s European operations as we continue to pursue operational excellence and growth.”<\/p>\n Name:\u00a0Frank Marotte<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Dacia<\/strong><\/p>\n Role:\u00a0Vice-president\u00a0for marketing, sales and operations<\/strong><\/p>\n Dacia<\/a> has named Frank Marotte its new vice-president for marketing, sales and operations.<\/p>\n Marotte was previously the president and managing director of Toyota<\/a> France, overseeing both the Toyota and Lexus<\/a> brands. He\u00a0started his career in automotive with Peugeot<\/a> in 1993.<\/p>\n He replaces Xavier Martinet, who left Dacia last year to lead Hyundai’s European operations.<\/p>\n Marotte will begin his new job on 1 February.<\/p>\n Names: Giuseppe Cava, Damien Dally, Nicola Dobson, Tom Ray, Nick Richards<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Stellantis UK<\/strong><\/p>\n Roles: Managing director for Fiat, Fiat Professional and Abarth (Cava), brand director for Leapmotor (Dally), managing director for Peugeot (Dobson), B2B director (Ray) and pre-owned vehicles director (Richards)<\/b><\/p>\n Stellantis has revised its UK management team, appointing new managing directors for the Abarth, Fiat and Peugeot brands.<\/p>\n Giuseppe Cava, who was most recently the UK marketing director for Fiat and Abarth, replaces Damien Dally as the sibling\u00a0brands’ managing director.<\/p>\n Dally moves into the role of brand director for Chinese debutant Leapmotor.<\/p>\n Nicola Dobson, previously the director of pre-owned vehicles, replaces Eurig Druce as Peugeot managing director following his promotion to managing director<\/span>\u00a0of Stellantis UK.<\/p>\n Nick Richards takes on Dobson’s former role.<\/p>\n Tom Ray, who joined Stellantis in 2004, has been appointed B2B operations director for the UK.<\/p>\n All will report to Druce.<\/p>\n Name: David Beattie<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Mini UK and Ireland<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: Director<\/strong><\/p>\n David Beattie has been named the new director for Mini<\/a> UK and Ireland, replacing Federico Izzo, who has been promoted to lead the brand’s European operations.<\/p>\n Beattie has worked for the BMW Group UK since 2005 and most recently led its used car sales operation.<\/p>\n Names:\u00a0Sjoerd Knipping, Pablo Martinez Masip<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Kia Europe<\/strong><\/p>\n Roles: Chief operating officer (Knipping),\u00a0vice-president of product and\u00a0marketing (Martinez Masip)<\/strong><\/p>\n Kia Europe has appointed a new chief operating officer and vice-president of product and marketing.<\/p>\n Sjoerd Knipping (above, left),\u00a0the new COO, has been promoted from his previous role as vice-president of product and marketing.<\/p>\n He has spent more than 25 years working in the European automotive industry, having held several senior roles at Kia<\/a> and Ford<\/a>.<\/p>\n Replacing Knipping as the vice-president of product and marketing is Pablo Martinez Masip (above, right),\u00a0who has been Kia’s global VP for customer experience since 2021.<\/p>\n “Going forward, our strong team supported by these executives will continue to move our bold transformation process to be a sustainable mobility solutions provider with a focus on our people and our customers,” said\u00a0Marc Hedrich, president and CEO of Kia Europe.<\/p>\n Name: Christian Meunier<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Nissan<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: Chairperson of the management committee for the Americas<\/strong><\/p>\n Former CEO of Jeep Christian Meunier<\/a>\u00a0has been named the new chairman of Nissan’s management committee\u00a0in the Americas.<\/p>\n He will report\u00a0directly to Nissan’s new chief performance officer, Guillaume Cartier, who was appointed to right the ship after the firm’s operating profits dropped by 90%<\/a> during the first half of its 2024 financial year.<\/p>\n Challenges facing Meunier include the threat of a 25% tariff on its cars exported into the US from Mexico, as well as a profitability slide that was\u00a0in part caused by liberal discounting in the region.<\/p>\n He spent 17 years with Nissan (between 2002 and 2019)\u00a0before taking the top job at Jeep. He\u00a0left the American manufacturer in October 2023 to “take a\u00a0long break to focus on personal interests”, according to an official Stellantis statement.<\/p>\n Name: Damien O’Sullivan<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: VW Group UK<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: Managing director<\/strong><\/p>\n O’Sullivan will take the top job in Milton Keynes on 1 December, having run Audi in Ireland for the past three years. Prior to that, he spent time in various positions within the VW Group in China and Taiwan, having joined the company’s sales division in 2009.<\/p>\n Smith, who has been with the VW Group\u00a0UK for nearly 15 years, is leaving the company “at his own request”, according to an official statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n His tenure as VW Group\u00a0UK MD has coincided with one of the most turbulent and disruptive periods in automotive history, but he leaves the company in a strong position ahead of a transformative few years in which each of its brands are planning to launch crucial new models to the UK market.<\/p>\n “I\u2019m very proud of everything the team and the networks have achieved in a period which has included Brexit, a pandemic, a supply crisis and the introduction of mass-market electromobility,” said\u00a0<\/span>Smith.\u00a0<\/p>\n “With Volkswagen the UK\u2019s number one passenger car brand, Audi at number two and both Skoda and Seat\/Cupra achieving record market shares so far this year, as well as Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in number two position in the van market, it feels like the right time to hand over to Damien to continue building on Volkswagen Group\u2019s market leading performance in the UK.”<\/p>\n Name: Xavier Martinet<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Hyundai Europe<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: President and CEO<\/strong><\/p>\n Dacia<\/a> marketing chief Xavier Martinet will become the next president and CEO of Hyundai<\/a> Europe.<\/p>\n Martinet replaces Michael Cole, who is retiring at the end of this year after four years in the top job.<\/p>\n Cole, who has been with the Hyundai Motor Group since 2009, said: \u201cAfter more than 40 years in the automotive industry, it is now time to return to the UK to be with my family and to enjoy life beyond work.<\/p>\n \u201cI have been incredibly fortunate to enjoy a career in such a dynamic industry and over the last 15 years to work at Hyundai Motor Group, the best and most progressive automotive organisation in the world.<\/p>\n \u201cI am proud to have worked with a great team in Europe, who l know will ensure that Hyundai continues its exciting growth trajectory.\u201d<\/p>\n Name: Christophe Georges\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Bentley\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: Board member for sales and marketing<\/strong><\/p>\n Bentley has promoted sales and marketing director Christophe Georges to a seat on its executive board.\u00a0<\/p>\n Georges joined Bentley in 1998 and has held several key positions since, including two stints as its president and CEO for the Americas region.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI am relishing the prospect of continuing to work closely with my colleagues to provide fresh momentum and direction as we grow our brand, our audience base and our entire sales and marketing operations,\u201d said Georges.<\/p>\n Bentley CEO\u00a0<\/span>Frank-Steffen Walliser added that Georges is \u201cperfectly placed to realise our brand and sales ambitions\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n Name: James Crichton<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: Regional director for the Middle East and Africa<\/strong><\/p>\n James Crichton has been named Rolls-Royce\u2019s next regional director for the \u201chugely important\u201d Middle East and Africa region.\u00a0<\/p>\n Crichton has held a number of senior positions at the luxury car maker since 2010 and has worked as the general manager of its global sales operations for the past six years.<\/p>\n Julian Jenkins, Rolls-Royce\u2019s director of sales and brand, said: \u201cI am delighted to welcome James Crichton to his new role as regional director Middle East and Africa.<\/p>\n \u201cJames has more than 14 years of experience with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and has held several leading positions in the company during this time.<\/p>\n \u201cThis latest move to Dubai reunites him with the regional office he was asked to establish in 2011.<\/p>\n \u201cMiddle East and Africa is a hugely important region for our business, and I wish James continued success in his role leading the excellent team which serves the region.\u201d<\/p>\n Name: Maria Grazia Davino<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: BYD<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: Regional managing director for Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic<\/strong><\/p>\n Maria Grazia Davino has been announced as the new regional managing director for BYD in Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic.<\/p>\n The news comes days after she stepped down as managing director of Stellantis UK \u2013 a position she held since July 2023.<\/p>\n Stella Li, executive vice-president of BYD, said: \u201c<\/span>We are thrilled to welcome Maria Grazia to our team. Her extensive experience and visionary leadership will be pivotal as we continue to grow and innovate in the European automotive landscape.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Name: Eurig Druce<\/strong><\/p>\n Company: Stellantis UK<\/strong><\/p>\n Role: Managing director<\/strong><\/p>\n Eurig Druce\u00a0has been named the next managing director of Stellantis UK, replacing Maria Grazia Davino.<\/p>\n Druce has worked in what is now Stellantis since 2001, having started as an apprentice with Peugeot UK in 2001.<\/p>\n He spent three years heading Citro\u00ebn\u2019s British arm between 2020 and 2023 before serving as sales chief for Stellantis UK. He was named Peugeot UK boss in July 2024\u00a0and will continue in that role until his replacement is found.<\/p>\n Jean-Philippe Imparato, who was recently named Stellantis\u2019s new chief operating officer for the Enlarged Europe region, said: \u201cI am delighted to be able to appoint Eurig Druce to this position. His proven track record in the country will provide continuity of our strategy in this important market.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":62458,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,137],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-62457","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-featured","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62457","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62457"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62457\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/62458"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62457"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62457"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62457"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Ed](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-3.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-4.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Peter](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-5.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Vauxhall](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-6.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Michelle](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-7.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Alex](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-8.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Frank](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-9.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Stellantis](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-10.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Mini](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-11.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Kia](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-12.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Christian](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-13.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-14.jpg\")
Volkswagen Group UK has named Damien O’Sullivan as its new managing director, with Alex Smith leaving after six years at the helm.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Xavier](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-15.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Christophe](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-16.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"James](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-17.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Maria](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-18.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Eurig](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/shifting-gears-key-leadership-changes-in-the-automotive-industry-19.jpg\")
<\/p>\n