In a significant leadership transition, Rolls-Royce has announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, will retire from his role on November 30, 2023. He will pass the baton to Chris Brownridge, the current CEO of BMW in the UK.
With nearly three decades of experience at BMW, Brownridge brings a wealth of expertise in sales and marketing to his new role, the company explains in an official press release. He started in the company as a graduate in 1995 and has held various roles within the organization, including sales director of BMW UK and regional director of Mini for the UK and Ireland.
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“I’m both honored and humbled by my new appointment,” Brownridge comments. “To be invited to lead this great British brand, at such a pivotal moment in its long and remarkable story, is an extraordinary privilege. Rolls-Royce is one of the world’s most recognized, desirable, and influential brands, and I’m keenly aware of the enormous affection and esteem in which it’s held.”
His predecessor, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, joined Rolls-Royce in 2010 and to date holds the distinction of being the company’s longest-serving CEO since its inception in 1904. Under his leadership, the brand achieved unparalleled success, witnessing annual sales surge from around 1,000 cars in 2009 to over 6,000 in 2022. In response to his retirement, Müller-Ötvös stated:
“Leading Rolls-Royce for almost 14 years has been the greatest privilege and pleasure of my professional life. To have grown the company and its world-class people to the position it is in today, at the pinnacle of the luxury industry, has been a remarkable adventure. I am proud of the role my exceptional team and I have played in contributing significantly to the UK economy and to the global recognition of Britain’s ability to produce the world’s best luxury products.”
Last year, Rolls-Royce delivered a total of 6,021 cars in 50 countries around the globe. The Americas is still the largest single region for the British brand, while China’s importance grew as the country is now the second-largest Rolls-Royce market. The Goodwood-based company also saw record sales in the United Kingdom and Germany.
