Jaguar Land Rover CEO Geoff Polites has died in his native Australia, aged 60, after a long battle with cancer.
Go deeper with GlobalData
In a statement, Ford’s US head office said Polites, a one-time head of Ford Australia who was credited with leading the Jaguar Land Rover business back to profitability and successfully steering it through its ongoing sale process to Tata Motors, had been battling the serious illness for the past two years.
“[He] played a huge role in turning round the business at Jaguar Land Rover and returning it to profitability. Geoff ensured that [JLR] was not distracted and continued to focus on the fundamentals of the business during the recent sale process, despite at the time also fighting his own personal health battle,” said Ford president and CEO Alan Mulally.
Ford Australia president Bill Osborne added: “Geoff was home in Australia for the birth of his first grandchild and unfortunately became critically ill while here. He passed away with his wife and family by his side.
“Despite battling ill health for the past two years, Geoff never lost sight of his goal to return Jaguar Land Rover to profitability. He exhibited similar strength of leadership and determination during his time as President of Ford Australia – qualities which resulted in the successful introduction of the BA Falcon in 2002 and the Ford Territory in 2004.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData“Despite having moved onto other roles within Ford Motor Company, Geoff continued to believe passionately in the products and the team at Ford Australia. His energy, enthusiasm and support for our business will be sorely missed.”
Polites always seemed to hit it off with Australian motoring writers and just-auto cannot recall seeing a hostile word in local media during his, at times, difficult tenure at the top of the local unit.
According to local freelance motoring writer Peter McKay: “Geoff inherited Ford Australia in 1999 around the time its unhappy looking new AU Falcon had been launched to a hostile motoring media and unimpressed consumers. Ford was copping a belting in the new vehicle sales by Holden and the increasingly threatening Toyota.
“Not even Geoff’s warmth and characteristic hard work could help soften criticism of the sad-sack AU. But by 2002, ahead of schedule, Ford had introduced a more acceptable muscular replacement, the BA Falcon, which won the Wheels Car of the Year award and revived sales of Ford’s big family sedan. With fuel prices soaring and buyer tastes changing quickly, he also saw the need to offer more acceptable small, economical models, the Fiesta and Focus.
“Two years later, came another of Geoff’s priority projects, the Territory SUV (which used mainly Falcon platform and running gear). Geoff wasn’t there to see the Territory launched to some acclaim – he’d accepted a job with Ford of Europe a year earlier. This surprised me as it must have been tough for him to leave his much-loved Sydney Swans (Aussie Rules) footy team.
“He showed great courage in the face of that dreadful illness. A mutual friend saw him at the Detroit show in January. ‘How you going, Geoff?’ ‘Mate, I’m f***ed,’ came the honest reply. He knew time was running out, but kept working because at Jaguar Land Rover there was a job to complete.
“His death has hit the small community of Australian motoring journalists very hard; Geoff was admired for his work ethic and honesty and greatly liked for his personal warmth and generous spirit. I’m pretty sure he never told us a fib, let alone a big fat lie.”
David Smith, Jaguar Land Rover’s chief financial officer, will take over as acting CEO at Jaguar Land Rover until a successor is appointed.
