BMW-owned Rolls-Royce has announced North America president Eric Shepherd “has decided to move to a new entrepreneurial role in the super-luxury automotive retail sector within the Rolls-Royce family”.
Chief executive Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes said: “Eric’s move is a big loss… but we are highly supportive of talented managers pursuing personal business opportunities, particularly when it means they stay within the Rolls-Royce community. Eric’s dynamic leadership of our North American operation has been highly effective. He has established a strong team and cohesive network which has led to a substantial strengthening of our business in the region.”
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Shepherd departs on 31 December but will be replaced, from 1 October, by Pedro Mota who joins from Porsche Cars NA where he was vice president, Area West. Mota has a degree in electrical engineering from Lisbon Technical University.
Rolls-Royce sales and marketing director Fintan Knight said: “Pedro is a highly experienced, international executive who has made the US his home. He has a strong understanding of the luxury car business and of the opportunities and challenges inherent in increasing shareholder value in North America. We look forward to him joining [us] and leading our North American team.”
