| English automobile designer Date of Birth: 01.01.1956 Country: Great Britain |
Gerry McGovern is a renowned British automotive designer who has left an indelible mark on the industry as the Chief Design Officer for Land Rover and Range Rover. His journey in design began with a degree in Industrial Design from Coventry University, followed by a Master's degree in Automotive Design from the Royal College of Art in London.
After completing his studies, McGovern embarked on a successful career path that took him from Chrysler in the UK and Detroit to Peugeot in the UK as a Senior Designer, eventually joining the Rover Group. During this period, he played a pivotal role as the lead designer for the popular Land Rover Freelander and oversaw the design of the third-generation Range Rover.
Later, McGovern was appointed to lead the Lincoln and Mercury brands for Ford Motor Company, establishing studios in Detroit and Irvine, California. He was instrumental in developing award-winning concept cars that laid the foundation for the brands' modern design strategy.
In 2004, McGovern returned to Land Rover as Director of Advanced Design, later becoming Design Director in 2006. He has since ascended to the position of Chief Design Officer and serves as an executive board member for Jaguar Land Rover.
Under McGovern's leadership, Land Rover has undergone a transformative design journey, reinterpreting its heritage while making the brand relevant to the 21st century. The Range Rover Evoque, inspired by the LRX concept car, was the first tangible manifestation of his design vision upon his return from the US. Not only did it reinvigorate the brand but also fostered a cultural shift within the company, placing design at the core of its operations.
McGovern's subsequent designs further cemented his reputation as a visionary leader. The all-new Range Rover, unveiled in 2012, garnered critical acclaim, followed by the Range Rover Sport in 2013. The 2014 Discovery Vision concept served as the foundation for the 2015 Discovery Sport, the first member of a new Discovery family. The second member, Discovery, followed in 2016.
In 2017, the Range Rover Velar was unveiled at the Design Museum in London, introducing a new dimension of glamour and elegance to the Range Rover family. It was designed to bridge the gap between the Evoque and Range Rover Sport, appealing to a new generation of customers.
McGovern's unwavering commitment to design has been widely recognized. In 2018, he won the World Car Designer of the Year award in New York. The same year, he received the Grand Prix for Design at the prestigious Paris International Motor Show.
Beyond the automotive realm, McGovern's passion for design extends to contemporary architecture and furniture, and he is a discerning collector of modern art. In 2014, he was appointed Visiting Professor at the Royal College of Art in London, demonstrating his dedication to design education.
In 2016, McGovern received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Coventry University. "Having traveled the world, working at the very top in automotive design, my roots in Coventry have never left me, so to be awarded an honorary doctorate from Coventry University is a great honor," McGovern said. "It makes me feel immensely proud to be recognized in the city where I grew up, and something my parents would have been incredibly proud of."