Jaguar/Land Rover To Managers: Get The Bleep Out Of Blighty

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Some say the future of the car business is in China… and for certain employees of Jaguar Land Rover, the maxim seems to apply awfully literally. The Telegraph reports:

Des Thurlby, human resources (HR) director at [JLR], said he had held “pointed” discussions with up to five of the company’s best employees urging them to consider moving “out of leafy Warwickshire” to China to help the company capitalise on emerging markets. Those who refused had less chance of being shortlisted for a future top job at the company…

Mr Thurlby said: “We’re getting to the point where we’re having some quite pointed conversations with people, where we’re saying, ‘listen matey, if you want to go to the top you’re going to have to go to China, Russia or the US. We’re an international business, we’re 70pc overseas. It’s critical you move out of leafy Warwickshire.'”

Oh dear… this is what happens when you stop designing your interiors like a 19th Century club room, isn’t it?

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Bertel Schmitt Bertel Schmitt on Nov 17, 2010

    Depending on where the Chinese JLR HQ will be, I wholeheartedly recommend to leave leafy Warwickshire behind and go.

    Your quality of life will jump exponentially. Your wife will adore you, because she got 2 live-in maids. You will have your personal driver on standby.

    I write this while getting breakfast in bed. I hit a button on the phone, say "I'm up" and 5 minutes later, a tray arrives. Life is good.

    As far as making the cars in China goes, if BMW, Mercedes, and Audi can pull it off very successfully, why not JLR. Just make the low volume high priced halo cars (by hand, if necessary) in leafy Warwickshire, and build the entry and mid tier models locally.

    • Mpresley Mpresley on Nov 17, 2010

      When the revolution comes, it'll be guys like you that are the first be rounded up. What? You say the revolution there has already come and gone? Blimey! "Another cup of hot tea, please... And another down pillow, too."

  • Gimmeamanual Gimmeamanual on Nov 17, 2010

    While I disagree with Bertel that your quality of life will jump exponentially, as that depends on way too many things, it is a good career move and one I'll never regret. Have I mentioned how amusing it is that you keep showing pictures of my apartment building on this site?

  • Splateagle Splateagle on Nov 17, 2010

    "leafy Warwickshire" ROTFL JLR are based in Coventry. Here's a picture if you've never been: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cov_railway_station_18s07.JPG The city was almost entirely flattened during WW2 and patched back together during the 2nd half of the twentieth century. imho it's a place devoid of character or charm... it's certainly not the rural English idyll you're probably picturing from that rather fanciful phrase. (edited since the comments engine doesn't like my inline links)

  • Jkross22 Jkross22 on Nov 17, 2010

    They're pushing their top 5 managers to move to China? If they're top 5 folks, this might encourage them to work for BMW, Mercedes, Ford of Europe, etc. Not sure this is such a good idea for Jaguar.

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