Jaguar fills global managing director vacancy from within

Jaguar Cars’ global managing director Bibiana Boerio is stepping down after three years in the role. She will be replaced by the struggling luxury carmaker’s North American president Mike O’Driscoll.

Thirty-year Ford veteran Boerio was Jaguar’s finance director from 1995 to 2000, before leaving to become Ford Credit’s executive vice-president and chief financial officer. She rejoined Jaguar as managing director in 2004 and has overseen huge changes at the iconic British marque, which Ford is preparing to sell along with Land Rover.

O’Driscoll has almost 30 years experience with Jaguar and Ford and has held a number of senior sales and marketing roles in the UK and the US. He joined Jaguar Rover Triumph in 1975 as a business student and went on to become marketing and product planning manager for Jaguar North America in 1987. He was appointed general sales manager for Jaguar in the US in 1992 and after four years with Ford and Lincoln Mercury he returned to Jaguar in 1999 as president of North America.

Jaguar and Land Rover chief executive Geoff Polites says: “Mike has worked closely with Bibie Boerio over the past three years as we have put in place the strategy to rebuild Jaguar. He has a strong understanding of the brand and the market and will lead Jaguar into the next phase.”

Boerio, who is retiring, will continue as a member of the board of directors for Vista Maria, a non-profit organisation supporting high-risk girls in Michigan in the US. She has also been chairman of the Coventry Business Group in support of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in the UK.