Cover JLR's CCO Lennard Hoornik
JLR's CCO Lennard Hoornik
1 / 1
Chief commercial officer Lennard Hoornik shares how JLR is electrifying its vehicles while retaining its character
There are many factors to consider when it comes to picking the right car. For Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) chief commercial officer Lennard Hoornik, a car needs to have character and be up to date in terms of technology.
Cars like the Defender have “real character”, says Hoornik. “If you put me in a Defender with my eyes closed, I’ll still know it’s a Defender … that’s a true character,” he adds, explaining that one of the reasons JLR’s cars are so distinctive is because they are designed with a dedicated platform from scratch.
Hoornik has noticed that over the years, consumers too are finding themselves attracted to a car with more character—this can mean the car’s comfort level or its user experience and design. Another is electrification, something that JLR and the luxury automotive industry have been shifting towards.
In case you missed it: A wonderfully luxe, mid-size SUV that’s perfect for Singapore’s not so wild roads
Like the rest of the industry, JLR has also found an urgency to begin offering electric vehicles. This resulted in the company making a bold move, shifting all Jaguar Land Rovers from having a combustion engine to a fully electric one. “It’s a different field than what we are playing in now,” he says.
Intrigued by JLR’s electrification journey, Tatler Singapore sat down with Hoornik while he was in town to find out more.
Can you share more about the company’s shift towards electric and sustainable vehicles?
When we announced our Reimagine strategy about three years ago, I think it was very clear that we made a very bold move, which is to say we stopped completely with the current combustion engine and reset Jaguar Land Rovers as a completely new design and completely electric. It was one of the very few brands—I don’t know any other [brand]—that does that … we’re excited about that. The rest of the brands [under JLR], including Discovery, Defender and Range Rover will also have electric versions. The first one is the Range Rover Electric, which opened its official waiting list in December 2023. It may not be the first electric car but it’s going to be something truly special and more importantly, it’s going to be a real Range Rover, not an electric car. It’s a Range Rover first.
What steps are the company taking to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainability in its manufacturing processes?
We have set very clear targets on what we need to achieve and we are on the road to achieving those—whether that is our sustainability impact, the impact that our cars make and even the extent of our suppliers and retailers. We have set ourselves a target to have at least an electrical option in each of the brands by 2030. I think we are quite focused on [our sustainability targets] and we have made some real progress.
What innovative technologies are JLR prioritising to enhance driver experience in their vehicles?
It’s different by brand. For the Range Rover and Defender, the on- and off-road capability is really important. Another thing is to make sure that we have enough range. These are very big cars and they need to have a good range not just [in terms of] battery but also by the efficiency of the engine of the motor we use.
How is the company addressing the global supply chain challenges that are currently affecting the industry?
Another board member, and one of my peers, Barbara Bergmeier is doing a phenomenal job in making sure that [we address these challenges]. The interruptions are continuous and she and her team are doing an amazing job to make sure that they minimise these interruptions … and overcome them as quickly as we can with an alternative supplier or another solution. But it’s hard because it’s not just about the availability of goods, it’s also about logistics. Certain routes are more difficult than they used to be and so the team is continuously building solutions to each of the problems that has been thrown at them.
In your opinion, what are the key factors contributing to the company’s success?
I think one of the critical things is that we have been able to create a winning mindset. We work with fantastic people all across the company and we are focused on one single strategy and vision. In the end, it’s also about those beautiful brands and cars and delivering the promise on each of those. Discipline is also one that is important in the sense of our financial performance. It’s always a lot of little things that make up success, everything is important.
What initiatives are the company taking to stay competitive in the luxury car segment?
It is critical to stay competitive [and one of the ways we do so is to] understand our clients really well. For example, asking what [our clients] like and what they would like us to do better—in regards to the features of the car, customer experience and after-sales service. I think that is probably for most companies but I think for us, the most important thing is to put the client in the centre at every point of time and in everything that we do.
What are the current trends in the luxury and automotive industry and what changes have you noticed?
Electrification is one. And with electrification, you’ll also see that cars are often getting bigger because you need a place for the battery—so size is another one. Also, people are now so used to having screens in the car—it is important to address that [and its UI and UX]. It’s important to address that and make it simple and easy to use.
How has JLR’s audience evolved over the years?
The audience has definitely evolved over time. Looking at the Defender, the original concept, values and beliefs of the 4x4 remain the same. Yet, there is an increase in sales when it comes to the later ranges. You also see that many people are joining the Defender family because they get inspired by the range’s campaign to ‘Embrace the Impossible’.
How has the company evolved over the years?
We have had a much clearer strategy in the last few years as we now have an amazing House of Brands concept of the four brands—Jaguar, Range Rover, Defender and Discovery—versus the original two brands. We have much more focus on the customer experience and electrification. Each brand has its own specific audience, attributes and strategies and I think it is evolving really nicely.
How do you hope the automotive industry will change in the next few years?
The car industry is becoming increasingly more global but at the same time, we also see some restrictions coming up in globalisation within the car industry. But, we really believe in each brand’s unique core values and want to have our own unique play.
Amanda Goh was the former senior writer for Tatler Singapore.
