- Alasdair Stewart returns to Bentley as its head of global sales and marketing.
- He succeeds Stuart McCullough, who has left the company.
- Stewart was most recently head of sales, marketing and customer service for Bugatti.
CREWE, England — Alasdair Stewart is returning to Bentley to head its global sales and marketing activities, just days ahead of the highly anticipated debut of the 2011 Bentley Continental GT. Stewart was the regional director for Bentley North America from 1998 to 2004 and most recently headed sales, marketing and customer service for Bugatti.
He succeeds Stuart McCullough, "who has left the business by mutual consent," Bentley said in a statement on Wednesday.
Stewart begins his new duties at Bentley today. He will "oversee all the company's sales and marketing activities, including marketing, branded goods and global sales and after-sales including relations with Bentley's global dealer network," the company said.
"The opportunity to return to Bentley and the U.K. was too good to refuse," said Stewart in a statement. "I am excited by the challenge ahead, with the first deliveries of the Mulsanne imminent, the Supersports attracting new customers to the brand and the forthcoming launch of the new Continental GT, the future is very bright indeed."
Stewart has a long automotive resumé, which includes a brief stint as head of marketing strategy for luxury brands within the Volkswagen Group before moving to Bugatti in late 2005.
The changing of the marketing guard at Bentley comes at a critical time for the luxury marque, when even the wealthiest of consumers are concerned with fuel economy and green initiatives. The 2011 Continental GT, which the luxury maker clearly hopes will be a game-changer, is set for an official debut on September 7. The new Continental GT will be launched live online, a first for Bentley.
While Bentley has been mum about Continental GT details, it hinted in a 2008 white paper that it was planning "a new powertrain set for introduction by 2012 that will deliver a 40 percent reduction in fuel consumption."
Inside Line says: Bentley turns to a veteran to help shepherd it into a new era. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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