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20th January 2010, Goodwood
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announces Torsten Müller-Ötvös as new Chief Executive
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has today announced that Torsten
Müller-Ötvös will join the company as its Chief Executive
Officer. He will assume the role at the end of March 2010
from Tom Purves, who will retire after 25 years service with the
BMW Group.
During his more than 20 years with the Group, Torsten has held a
number of management positions in the Sales and Marketing Division
and was instrumental in brand and product management for MINI
between 2000 and 2003. He successfully re-launched the MINI
brand and internationally re-established this quintessentially
British marque as the first premium small car brand. In 2004
he assumed responsibility for central marketing and brand
management at BMW. Torsten has been running BMW global
product management since April 2008, as well as parts of its
after-sales business.
Torsten will continue to report to Ian Robertson, member of the
Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Group Sales and
Marketing and also Chairman of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Ian
Robertson said, "Torsten has many years of solid experience in the
fields of brand and product management as well as marketing. He is
the perfect candidate to lead Rolls-Royce Motor Cars into a period
of expansion - having not only a successful track record as a
manager, but also a feel for the unique attributes of a traditional
brand."
Robertson also took the opportunity to thank Tom Purves: "Tom's
breadth of experience and successful track record over many years
with the Group have proven extremely valuable to Rolls-Royce as the
company moved through an important stage of its development. He has
successfully overseen the launch of our new Ghost model series and
hands over the helm of a company in excellent shape for the future.
I wish him the very best for a well-deserved retirement."
Purves said, "It has been a privilege and an honour to lead
Rolls-Royce, particularly at this exciting point in the company's
history. I have always felt a special connection with Rolls-Royce,
having started my career in the car division and it is very special
to be retiring having headed this great company. I have every
confidence in the future success of the company in the hands of its
new CEO."
Purves succeeded Robertson as CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in July
2008. His previous posts included more than nine years as President
of BMW North America, LLC and head of the sales region there, where
he successfully managed BMW Group activities throughout North and
South America. Under his tenure sales and market share more than
doubled. He began his career in the automotive industry in 1966 as
an apprentice engineer at Rolls-Royce in Crewe before joining BMW
Group in 1985.
