The perfect person for the perfect storm
The winner of this year’s Great Women initiative tells Rachel Burgess how she’s plotting PSA UK’S course through Brexit, new CO2 rules and a global pandemic
OVERALL AND EXCUTIVE WINNER
Group UK managing director and global senior vicepresident, PSA Group noticeable when you have a lower number of models. We’re in it for the long term, launching one new model a year.” Jones wants to emulate DS’S success in France – where it holds a staggering 10% market share – in the UK: “It’s about people recognising DS for its design, the Frenchness, the prestige. We buy French clothing brands and perfume, for example, and have a positive association, and it’s about how we can do that with DS in the premium car market.”
After the turbulence of 2020, Jones doesn’t believe this month’s car sales – traditionally one of the two biggest months of the year – is a good indicator of what’s ahead. “What we’re planning for into next year is unpredictability. It’s good that the market is up, as we’re all trying to recover what we lost in quarter two, but I don’t think September will be a fair indicator of quarter four, when you consider the end of furlough, potential redundancies and so on.
“There may be a pull forward – buy now before the [likely UK-EU trade] tariff arrives on 1 January. That might mean quarter four is okay, but then the first part of 2021 is disastrous. Next year, with Brexit and tariffs, who knows?”
Pre-pandemic, Jones would drive into the office in alternating PSA models for 7.15am. She currently has a Peugeot 3008 plug-in hybrid, but a move largely to home working now means an even earlier start.
Jones says: “My first job is to work through my emails and look at any overnight news. I work with individual brands on key strategic projects. For example, during the pandemic, we launched selling Peugeot cars online and we’ll soon do the same for Citroën. They’re the sort of projects I get involved in; they’re big and new and emerging.” Jones’ four days a month at PSA HQ in France are currently being done virtually: “We learned that we can be really efficient in a virtual setting but we also know we need to be face to face for more complicated projects.”
Her favourite aspect of the job is “the variety and complexity and working with diverse groups of people”, while her least favourite will resonate with many: “It’s clearing all the emails. It’s not the content, just the number in the inbox. I try not to look at emails from Saturday lunchtime to Sunday afternoon.”
What advice does our Great Women winner have for those coming into this industry? “Find roles that you love to do, work hard and deliver results, and then tell people about those results. Not in an arrogant way, but delivering good results alone won’t necessarily get you the next role if you want to progress. The industry is so diverse – there’s any role you can think of – which means you can move around in the industry if that is what’s interesting to you.”
LDESIGN
Head of interior design, Volvo
Reeves was recently promoted to head interior design for Volvo, having overseen the cabin designs for the Volvo S60 and Polestar 2. In her previous position at Bentley, she brought the Continental GT and Flying Spur interiors to production.
Head of government relations and public policy, PSA Group UK
Foord liaises with the UK government on all issues related to Vauxhall’s Luton and Ellesmere Port factories, as well as wider automotive concerns. She helps to secure government investment and has supported the PSA Group through the Brexit process and the pandemic.
MANUFACTURING
Craiova vehicle operations assistant plant manager, Ford
Ford’s plant in Romania produces 250,000 Ecoboost engines per year, as well as the Puma and Ecosport SUVS. Payne oversees the process, with experience from her time at the brand’s Dagenham engine factory and as global manufacturing manager for powertrains.
MARKETING
Marketing director,
BMW UK
Roberts, BMW UK’S only female board member, joined the firm 20 years ago and was product manager for the crucial 5 Series and 6 Series models in 2007. She also oversaw BMW’S sponsorship of the London 2012 Olympics and has served as head of marketing for Mini.
MOBILITY AND DIGITAL
Director, Consumer
One, Toyota GB
Having joined Toyota as a member of the vehicle supply team, Cooper went on to help develop the brand’s UK dealer network, introduce online retailing and launch subscription services for Toyota and Lexus. She now leads the advanced customer strategy division.
www.autocar.co.uk/ greatwomen/2020 OPERATIONS
Director, global material cost and supply base sustainability, Ford
Slaughter has been at Ford since 1987, rising through the ranks of business planning and logistics before making the shift to purchasing. She recently served as chief operating officer at Ford’s joint venture with gearbox firm Getrag in Germany.
Group HR director, Inchcape
Clarke has led Inchcape’s human resources department for five years, having previously served in a variety of roles at Ford. She has also spent time at hospitality firms Hilton and Whitbread and oversaw HR for the AS Watson group in Hong Kong.
Vice-president, marketing and communications, Volvo
Rooke oversees Volvo’s media, corporate and internal communications at a global level. She has been at the firm since 2012, when she was appointed head of UK communications, having previously served in a similar role for the SMMT.
SALES – MANUFACTURERS
Director of sales operations, Aston Martin Responsible for supplying and training 150 dealerships in 53 countries, Stevenson has led several significant projects for Aston Martin including vast logistical cost-cutting programmes and the relocation of a 220,000sq ft distribution centre.
SALES – RETAIL
CEO, Mercedes-benz
Retail Group
Shepherd is now in her 30th year of service at Mercedes-benz. She was responsible for moving the company from 26th to third in the JD Power dealer service satisfaction rankings during her tenure as customer services director.
Vehicle programme quality director, JLR
Bagnall recently completed a threeyear placement in China, overseeing an engineering development project for autonomous and connected vehicle technologies. She now heads Jaguar Land Rover’s drive to improve reliability and customer satisfaction in her role as quality director.