Rolls-Royce appoints BMW executive as top marketer

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has appointed BMW sales director Graeme Grieve as its marketing chief. Grieve replaces Howard Mosher, who left the luxury car marque at the end of April to move to BMW North America (MW March 31), as sales and marketing director.

Grieve has been with the BMW group, which owns Rolls-Royce, for more than 15 years. He will spend time at Rolls-Royce in the next few months, but will not take up the position full-time until the start of next year.

Mosher, who was sales and marketing director at Rolls-Royce for three years, was promoted to executive vice-president of operations at BMW.

He joined Rolls-Royce in March 2002 to lead the sales, marketing and after-sales departments. His previous roles included president and chief executive of Land Rover North America and of Rolls-Royce North America.

Rolls-Royce appointed its third chairman and chief executive in a year in November 2004. Ian Robertson, who was head of BMW’s South African operation, took over from Karl-Heinz Kalbfell, who was subsequently appointed to run Fiat-owned Alfa Romeo (MW February 25). Tony Gott resigned from the chairmanship in May last year for personal reasons.

Rolls-Royce, along with Bentley, was sold to Volkswagen in 1998. In 1999, BMW struck a deal to take over the Rolls-Royce marque from January 2003.