Jaguar today announced the appointment of Dick Elsy as Director of Product Engineering.

Dick will be responsible for all Jaguar vehicle and powertrain engineering and will report to Dr Nick Barter, Jaguar's Product Development Director. He will be based at Jaguar's Engmeering Centre at Whitley, Covently.

Dick Elsy joins Jaguar from BMW AG, where he was a Project Director based in Munich, Germany.

Jonathan Browning, Jaguar's Managing Director said:

"Jaguar's product-led expansion programme means that we need to strengthen our design, engineering and development organisation. As Director of Product Engineering, Dick will have responsibility for all our current and future vehicle and powertrain engineering programmes."

Prior to his appointment in Munich, Dick Elsy was Product Development Director for the Rover Group responsible for all Rover vehicle development programmes. His automotive industry career started at Coventry Climax in 1981. He transferred to Land Rover in 1983 and held successively senior appointments at Land Rover and Rover before being appointed Product Development Director in 1998.

He has extensive product development, engineering and vehicle programme management experience gained across a range of new vehicle projects.

Dick Elsy was born in South Shields, UK and educated at Durham School and Loughborough University, where he gained an honours degree in Engineering Science and Technology. He is a chartered engineer and Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. In 1998 he was presented with the Academy of Engineering Award for his outstanding contribution to British engineering.

Married, with one daughter, Dick Elsy's home is in Warwickshire, UK.