Jaguar picks US sales boss as global marketing director

Jaguar has appointed Connell (C.J.) O’Donnell as global marketing director. He replaces Stephen Perrin, who retired at the end of last year.

O’Donnell joins from Jaguar North America, where he was executive vice-president of marketing and sales. He will report to global managing director Bibiana Boerio in his new role.

Perrin, who was global marketing director for two years, retired at the end of December. It is thought that O’Donnell has been working  with Perrin in recent months in the interim position of marketing strategy director.

Loss-making Jaguar, which is part of Ford’s Premier Automotive Group, axed its UK marketing director role last year as part of a restructure (MW February 23, 2006). The incumbent Gary Langridge was not replaced when he was promoted to director of sales and market logistics for Land Rover and Jaguar. Jaguar’s UK managing director Geoff Cousins and marketing manager David Lewis are now responsible for the brand in this country.

Perrin was promoted to global marketing director from director of strategy in 2004 after Martin Runnacles’ decision to take early retirement (MW November 4, 2004).

Jaguar’s future has been in doubt since Ford began a “strategic review” last year. But new Ford chief executive Alan Mulally said this month that the iconic brand was not for sale “at this stage”.

The company has responded to criticism of its S-Type model by axing it and replacing it with a sports saloon called the XF which will go on sale in 2008 (MW November 30).