Tobias Moers will replace Andy Palmer at the helm of the troubled British car maker Aston Martin.
Aston Martin has confirmed that current Mercedes-AMG chief Tobias Moers will replace Andy Palmer as the embattled firm’s chief executive officer.
Palmer, 56, has led the British firm since 2014, serving as both president and chief executive officer. He will step down from his duties immediately. Moers, 55, will start as chief executive officer on 1 August, and will also serve on the firm’s board as an executive director. The switch was first reported by the Financial Times over the weekend.
Keith Stanton, currently Aston’s vice-president and manufacturing chief, will lead the company on an interim basis until Moers’ arrival.
Aston Martin has posted heavy losses recently, with the firm’s share price falling sharply. The move comes shortly after billionaire Lawrence Stroll led a major investment into the firm and took over as chairman. Stroll said Aston’s board “has determined that now is the time for new leadership to deliver our plans.” He added that Moers was “the right leader for Aston Martin as we implement our strategy for the business to achieve its full potential.”
German Moers has worked at Daimler for more than 25 years, and switched to the Mercedes-AMG performance division in 1994. He became the firm’s head of vehicle development in 2002, and took over the top role late in 2013.
Moers has since led a major expansion of Mercedes-AMG, doubling its model range and hugely increasing sales. Stroll said that experience would be crucial to reviving Aston’s fortunes.
Stroll said: “He is an exceptionally talented automotive professional and a proven business leader with a strong track record during his many years at Daimler, with whom we have a longstanding and successful technical and commercial partnership, which we look forward to continuing. Throughout his career he has delivered product expansion, strengthened brand positioning and improved profitability.”
Moers said that he was “truly excited to be joined Aston Martin Lagonda at this point in its development.” He added: “I believe that there is a significant opportunity to harness the strengths of the business to successfully deliver the planned product expansion and brand elevation.”
Palmer joined Aston Martin after serving in senior management roles at Nissan, and has been credited for helping the firm grow by attracting new investment, expanding its model range and cutting costs. His strategy included the ambitious ‘Second Century Plan’, which involved massively expanding Aston’s range. That included the new DBX, the firm’s first SUB, with Palmer also leading the approval for the new St Athan factory in Wales where it will be built.
However, Palmer also helped push through the decision to float Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd on the London Stock Exchange in 2018. A series of setbacks since then, including a £120 million loss in the first three months of this year, led to the firm’s share price falling more than 90% from its initial value.
Stroll added: “On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Andy for his hard work, personal commitment and dedication to Aston Martin Lagonda since 2014. In that time the company has successfully renewed its core sports car range, with the DB11, Vantage and DBS Superleggera and has brought the brand’s first SUV, DBX to a point of readiness for deliveries to start in the summer.
“Furthermore, the development of the era-defining Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar has paved the way for the mid-engined range to come. I would also like to recognise his leadership through the current challenges and uncertainties presented by Covid-19.”
In the statement issued by Aston Martin, Palmer said: “It has been a privilege to serve Aston Martin Lagonda for almost six years. The launch of many new products including the new DBX demonstrates the dedication and capability of our employees. I would like to thank my management team and all the staff for their hard work and support, particularly during the challenges presented by Covid-19. I am proud of you all and it’s been an honour to work with you.”
James Attwood