The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has welcomed the announcement that Joe Greenwell, chairman and chief executive of Jaguar and Land Rover, will be the first head of Britain’s unique Automotive Academy.
The Automotive Academy is a partnership between government, the automotive industry, and the education sector to ensure that the training available that directly reflects the needs of vehicle and component manufacturers.
Commenting on Joe Greenwell’s appointment, SMMT chief executive, Christopher Macgowan said, ‘We are delighted that such an experienced member of the industry has been appointed to this key role. The success of the Academy is vital to the long-term achievements of the UK motor industry. By ensuring our workforce is trained to the highest standards, we can be sure that the UK will remain a global force in automotive manufacturing for years to come’.
Joe Greenwell has worked in the automotive business both in Britain and the USA. He was appointed Chairman and CEO of Jaguar and Land Rover in October 2003 and is a Vice President of the Ford Motor Company. Previously he was Vice President, Marketing and Operations for Ford, based at their world-headquarters in Michigan where he was also responsible for Ford of Mexico, Ford of Canada and Worldwide Direct Market Operations and Global Marketing.
Note to editors:
- The Automotive Academy was created to increase the skills of the UK workforce to meet global standards following recommendations from the Department of Trade and Industry’s Automotive Innovation and Growth Team.
- The Academy has its headquarters ‘hub’ in Birmingham and will eventually operate through a network of regional ‘spokes’ the first of which, Skills4Auto, has already been launched and covers the Midlands area.
