JLR’s PB Balaji Brushes Off Trump’s ‘Woke’ Jibe

Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR’s) incoming chief executive P.B. Balaji has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s criticism of the company’s recent rebrand, saying the changes are drawing strong responses from customers despite the political noise.

“The cars are being revealed, they’re getting exciting responses from the customers on the ground. Therefore, that’s what the strategy is,” Balaji said on 8 August, following Jaguar Land Rover’s earnings announcement, when asked about Trump’s description of the campaign as a “seriously WOKE advertisement” and his claim that JLR was “in absolute turmoil.”

Balaji, currently chief financial officer of Tata Motors, will take over as JLR CEO in November from Adrian Mardell, who announced his retirement earlier this month.

He urged observers to put the company’s performance in perspective, adding, “You need to compare our numbers vis-à-vis how others are delivering.”

The comments come after JLR reported a 49% drop in underlying pre-tax profits to £351 million for the second quarter, with the company citing US tariffs and lingering supply disruptions as key drags.

Trump’s attack also linked the ad campaign to Mardell’s exit, though the outgoing CEO framed his departure as a natural transition after “a great privilege” leading JLR “during a time of incredible change.”