John English CEO
The official line on the new man at the top of Lotus USA
The big news in the US recently was the departure of Arnie Johnson and the appointment of John English as President and CEO. The move upset many loyal fans who credit Arnie with bringing the Elise to the US.
Lotus responded with the following release:
Lotus Holdings, Inc. the U.S. based holding company for Lotus Cars USA and Lotus Engineering Inc., has named automotive industry veteran John A. English as President and Chief Executive Officer, Lotus Cars USA. The appointment, effective immediately, was announced by Duke T. Hale, Chief Executive Officer, Lotus Holdings Inc. “John’s expertise in leading organizations during strong growth phases and his experience in building highly motivated and effective sales organizations make him a tremendous asset to our U.S. team,” said Hale. “With the 2005 Lotus Elise on-sale date just weeks away, and enthusiasm for the car increasing with each passing day, John is the right individual to ensure that our organization is fully prepared deliver superior dealer and customer experiences on all fronts .” said Hale. English has worked within the automotive industry his entire career. Most recently, he was the Southeast Regional General Manager for Mazda North America, based in Jacksonville, Florida. Prior to that, he served as Vice President, Sales Operations, at Mazda’s U.S. headquarters in Irvine, California. During that time, English developed business and dealer network initiatives designed to maximize sales per retail outlet. He joined Mazda in 1991 as Director, Dealer Development, followed by a promotion to Regional Vice President for the company’s top-ranked Southeast region. Prior to his 12-year career at Mazda, English spent 15 years at Volvo North America, where he served as Regional Manager of the Southeast Region in Atlanta, and prior tothat as Regional Manager of the company’s Northern California Region. He also held marketing, market representation and District Manager positions while at Volvo. English began his automotive career at Chrysler Corporation, where he completed the company’s graduate training program, followed by a number of District Manager positions in key U.S. markets. English Named President and CEO, Lotus Cars USA Pg. 2 “It is a rare and exceptional opportunity to lead one of the world’s great sports car brands in the world’s most dynamic sports car market,” said English. “It is even rarer to join a team that is as proud and passionate about their products as Lotus—I very much look forward to being part of that team .” English received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Haven, Connecticut in 1971, following two years of service within the United States Army Special Forces. He will relocate to Atlanta, Georgia. |
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