Bentley Motors boss standing down after six years as chair and CEO
Luxury car maker, Bentley Motors, has announced that its chairman and CEO, Adrian Hallmark, is standing down.
The Crewe-based motor manufacturer said his departure is at his own request and by mutual consent.
It said he is preparing for new tasks outside the parent Volkswagen Group with immediate effect.
This morning Midlands car manufacturer, Aston Martin, announced he will join the company as chief executive, no later than October 1, 2024.
In February 2018 Adrian Hallmark took on the role of chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors in a challenging business situation.
During his time as CEO, leading new luxury models were launched and the strategic aim was formed of making Bentley the most sustainable brand of luxury vehicles by 2030.
Before taking over the position of CEO, between 1999 and 2005 Hallmark was board member for sales and marketing at Bentley. For 25 years he has worked at board level for international automotive companies in the UK, the USA and Asia.
Gernot Döllner, chairman of the executive board of Audi and responsible for the Progressive Brand Group, which includes Lamborghini, Bentley and Ducati, within the Volkswagen Group, said: “Adrian Hallmark has achieved a great deal at Bentley.
“In his six years as chairman and CEO, he has made his mark on Bentley Motors, and along with his team in Crewe has successfully pushed ahead the development of the company. On the path to carbon-neutral electric vehicles in the luxury segment, he has taken important steps towards the long term success of the company.
“I would like to thank Adrian Hallmark for his significant commitment over the last years and wish him well in his personal and professional future.”
Adrian Hallmark said: “Bentley has had a great influence on me. To redefine luxury mobility for the future with such a strong brand is a task that I took on with full commitment and great pleasure.
“The time has now come for me to turn to new challenges. I would like to express warm thanks to the entire Bentley team for all that we have achieved together in the last few years.“
The group said his successor in the role at Bentley Motors will be announced in due course.
Bentley has been part of Volkswagen AG since 1998 and of the Audi Group since January 2022.
Earlier this week the luxury marque released its annual financial figures that showed record levels of customer personalisation had driven the business to its second best results.
Operating profits reached €589m as three-quarters of customers explored the 46 billion different configurations available from the options range to add bespoke content from Bentley’s Mulliner division, representing a 43% rise over 2022.
The luxury brand posted a revenue of €2.938bn as customers were also increasingly attracted to higher revenue models such as Azure, S and Speed, the mix of which reached 70%, up from 30% in 2022.
In total, Bentley delivered 13,560 cars in 2023, its third highest retail figure in history.
