ASTON MARTIN:


driving global transformation


After a period of deep transformation, British luxury car-maker Aston Martin is helping to drive forward the UK’s high-tech manufacturing sector. Michael Kerr, Aston Martin’s vice president and chief HR officer, spoke to Ruth Holmes about the this, and how the company is relocating employees from Gaydon to St Athan, and beyond.


A


ston Martin is going places. Under the aegis of its Second Century Plan, introduced in 2015 to build a sustainable


business for the next 100 years, the newly public-listed company has a fresh business plan, a new leadership team and a revamped product range. It also has two new UK facilities – a


manufacturing plant in St Athan, which will bring up to 750 new high-skills jobs to the Vale of Glamorgan in south Wales, and a testing and development one in


Silverstone, Northamptonshire, England. This brings the number of UK sites to ten and will strengthen Aston Martin’s presence in its six global regions and over 160 international dealerships. Aston Martin’s


UK precision


manufacturing expansion is geared to sating strong demand for its luxury vehicles in China and the US while ensuring the company’s exacting quality standards are upheld. “The St Athan site is going great,” said Mr Kerr. “It’s as big as our Gaydon plant


[in Warwickshire] and will employ up to 750 people. It starts production early 2019 and is a critical part of what we are doing as part of our Second Century Plan.”


People-driven change Undertaking such fundamental and wide- ranging transformation across the business – including a public listing, new production and funding cycles, and senior management team – is no easy task. A quick look under the bonnet reveals how Michael Kerr and the executive team are


14 | Relocate | January 2019


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