Ex GM chief Forster in Tata Motors switch
TATA Motors has appointed former General Motors Europe boss Carl-Peter Forster as its new chief executive.
Mr Forster, who quit GM last year after the company’s U-turn not to sell theEuropean business, will have the overall responsibility of the company’s operations globally, including Jaguar Land Rover.
Mr Forster, aged 55, has 24 years international experience in the automobile industry.
Before joining GM in 2001, Mr Forster had spent 13 years with BMW where he held various positions including that of managing director of BMW South Africa and was also on the managing board of BMW responsible for manufacturing.
Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Motors, said, “Tata Motors expects that Mr Forster’s induction will greatly facilitate its ambition towards being a truly international company.”
Mr Forster’s appointment had been predicted even before the decision last month by David Smith to resign from his position as managing director of Jaguar Land Rover. Experts believe Tata may still strengthen its senior management team further by recruiting an MD for JLR.
Jaguar Land Rover employs around 2,000 staff at its Halewood plant, on Merseyside, building Freelander vehicles.
The appointment came as Tata revealed global sales had risen 93% in January compared with the same month a year ago.
Vehicle sales – which include Jaguar Land Rover – stood at 85,714 overall.
Jaguar Land Rover’s global sales in January 2010 were 16,269 vehicles, higher by 195%. Jaguar sales for the month were 2,974, up 122%, while Land Rover sales were 13,295, a rise of 219% on the comparable period last year.
However, cumulative sales for the fiscal year to date show how the brands have been hit by the recession.
Sales stand at 153,247, down 20% on last year. Jaguar has sold 39,484 cars, down 30%, while cumulative sales for Land Rover stand at 113,763, down 16%.
