After spending a remarkable 14 years of career at Rolls-Royce, CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös will retire and step down from the company on November 30. Since his entry into Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in 2010, Torsten Müller-Ötvös has etched his name in the company’s history, marking the longest-serving Chief Executive since Claude Johnson.
At the onset of his tenure, the brand exclusively produced two prestigious models, the Phantom and the Ghost. However, under his guidance, Rolls-Royce introduced the remarkable Wraith and the elegant Dawn, ushering in a new era of opulence.
Notably, the historic introduction of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, the brand’s inaugural SUV, was a defining moment. The year 2023 heralded the arrival of Spectre, the world’s first ultra-luxury electric super coupé, signaling Rolls-Royce’s decisive shift towards a fully electric product lineup by 2030.
He also envisioned and launched the daring Black Badge, a more subversive Rolls-Royce persona, significantly expanding the brand’s appeal. Under his leadership, Rolls-Royce witnessed a remarkable transformation. The average price of a Rolls-Royce vehicle has doubled to approximately €500,000, with the average client age now just 43. This evolution translated into extraordinary commercial success, with annual sales surging from around 1,000 motor cars in 2009 to a staggering 6,000 in 2022.
Replacing him will be the current Chief Executive Officer of BMW UK – Chris Brownridge. His previous roles encompassed positions such as Sales Director at BMW UK, BMW UK Marketing, and Regional Director for the UK and Ireland for MINI. He said, “I’m both honored and humbled by my new appointment. To be invited to lead this great British brand, at such a pivotal moment in its long and remarkable story, is an extraordinary privilege. Rolls-Royce is one of the world’s most recognised, desirable and influential brands, and I’m keenly aware of the enormous affection and esteem in which it’s held. It’s a tribute to its magnificent products, the close relationships it maintains with its clients and, above all, to the exceptional team I’m about to join. I’m also conscious of the incredible heritage of which we are the proud custodians, and that everything we do builds on and adds to that unique legacy.”