Jaguar Land Rover CEO dies after two-year illness

Typography

Geoff Polites led the team that turned Jaguar Land Rover back to profitability and steered it through the pending sale of the business to Tata Motors Ltd <TAMO.BO> that was announced in March, Ford said in a statement.

DETROIT (Reuters) - The chief executive of Jaguar Land Rover has died in his home country of Australia after a long illness, Ford Motor Co <F.N> said on Sunday. He was 60.

Geoff Polites led the team that turned Jaguar Land Rover back to profitability and steered it through the pending sale of the business to Tata Motors Ltd <TAMO.BO> that was announced in March, Ford said in a statement.

Ford said Jaguar Land Rover's chief financial officer, David Smith, will serve as acting CEO until a successor is appointed.

(Reporting by David Bailey, editing by Maureen Bavdek)

!ADVERTISEMENT!