
Caterham’s future owners must get a grip on its ailing business
Caterham’s future owners have much to do, repairing and rebuilding a business that just four years ago was acquired in good health by Malaysian…
Caterham’s future owners have much to do, repairing and rebuilding a business that just four years ago was acquired in good health by Malaysian…
You’ve probably been wondering what happened to Caterham Car’s former CEO and COO, Ansar Ali and Mark Edwards. Well, yesterday they announced details of…
Writing the epitaph of a once great brand is never an easy thing to do, but yesterday I learned of the departure of Sales and Marketing Director Andy Noble from Caterham Cars – joining the company’s former bosses Ansar Ali and Mark Edwards and leaving just one member of the original management team, after Air Asia boss Tony Fernandes acquired the business last December.
If we’d asked twelve months ago who you knew of at Caterham, most people would probably have answered Ansar Ali, Tony Fernandes and Mike Gascoyne.
After the race series for the SP/300.R was canned due to poor sales and a general lack of interest, Caterham chose to think laterally by fitting the 2-litre Ford Duratec power plant in the tried and tested Seven. Welcome to the R600 – like the hugely successful R300, but.. twice as much fun.
Caterham Group, the parent company of Caterham Cars, Caterham F1 Team, Caterham Composites and CTI (Caterham Technology & Innovation) has today confirmed that Graham Macdonald, previously CFO of Caterham Cars will step up to the role of CEO after current Chief Executive Officer Ansar Ali leaves the business by mutual consent.
This is a story that resonates strongly with me. As an advisor to many people over the years, one of the most valued qualities I hear from CEO’s and business leaders is their need to find someone who will tell them how things ‘really’ are. ‘Yes Men’ are all too easy to acquire, and the higher you climb, the less likely anyone will actually tell you the whole truth.
I heard on the grapevine this morning that motorsport writers, David Tremayne and Joe Saward have joined Ansar Ali and Tony Fernandes on the board of Caterham Group.
The long-running saga between Group Lotus and Tony Fernandes’ 1Malaysia Racing Team has been brought to an amicable conclusion. In a joint-statement released earlier this morning, Proton, Group Lotus, 1Malaysia Racing Team and its owner Tony Fernandes announced that the legal dispute in the English Courts relating to the “LOTUS” and “TEAM LOTUS” brands had now ended with the parties agreeing settlement terms earlier this month.
With Malaysian-born Tony Fernandes as its new owner, it was only a matter of time before Caterham Cars set up a permanent residence in India – you see, despite being born in Kuala Lumpur, the Air Asia and Team Lotus boss’ late father was Indian.
Following our recent interview with Caterham’s CEO, Ansar Ali – Behind the scenes at Caterham Cars – the company has now confirmed details of its programme to develop the next iconic Caterham model.
I have been sitting on some news about Caterham during the past few weeks, as we waited on some of the moves to play out. And it’s been fascinating to watch this minnow of the car industry become such a talking point on the global stage.