New Jaguar CEO Responds to Trump's 'Woke' Criticism | Carscoops

      Incoming CEO PB Balaji asserted that the company is on a positive trajectory, even with Donald Trump labeling its rebranding strategy a failure.

      7 hours ago

      by Chris Chilton

      Jaguar’s new CEO has no intention of reversing its reinvention plan.

      PB Balaji stated that Jaguar received an ‘exciting response’ to its electric vehicle concept.

      Balaji succeeded Adrian Mardell, who is retiring after 35 years this November.

      A leadership change at JLR, along with harsh criticism from Donald Trump, will not alter Jaguar’s contentious rebranding initiatives. According to the new CEO, the targeted customer base is enthusiastic about the new Type 00 EV concept.

      “We have developed our plans, the cars are being unveiled, and they’re receiving an exciting response from customers on the ground,” said incoming Jaguar chief PB Balaji to reporters, as reported by Auto News. “That is the strategy moving forward.”

      Related: Trump Criticizes Jaguar’s ‘Stupid Woke’ Rebrand Just As New CEO Takes Over

      PB Balaji, who previously served as finance chief at JLR's parent company Tata, made these remarks just days after President Trump criticized Jaguar’s recent marketing efforts as a prime example of poor ‘woke’ advertising, asserting the company was in “absolute turmoil.” Trump even implied, without evidence, that former CEO Adrian Mardell had resigned in disgrace. Mardell, 65, is scheduled to retire this fall after a 35-year tenure with JLR.

      Jaguar unveiled a bold electric concept car during Miami Art Week last December, previewing an upcoming luxury four-door sedan aimed at enhancing its market positioning towards Bentley. However, prior to this reveal, the automaker faced widespread mockery for a fashion-oriented campaign that showcased no cars and aimed to signal the brand’s revival.

      Balaji also refuted Trump’s assertion that Jaguar was in turmoil, emphasizing that JLR’s current performance should be viewed in light of the challenges faced across the automotive industry.

      “You need to compare our numbers against how others are performing,” Balaji stated, according to Bloomberg.

      This is not the first time senior JLR officials have addressed criticism regarding the “copy nothing” marketing campaign.

      “We certainly weren’t claiming to be ‘about diversity’,” Jaguar MD Rawdon Glover stated to Auto Express earlier this year, denying that the brand was attempting to adopt a ‘woke’ stance.

      “The creative concepts and the individuals were selected for being modern, striking, and bold. The car we presented was vibrant, bold, and contemporary.”

      However, Glover acknowledged that they anticipated alienating some older, conservative customers during this transition, so Trump’s admission of disapproval likely did not come as a surprise to Jaguar.