Jaguar World – July 2019

July 201 9\JaguarWorld|2 5

Independence

I’VEMENTIONEDmanytimesbeforeabouthow
closeJaguargottotheedgeofsurvivalin 19 80.So,
havingbeenthroughthat,in 1984 itwasextraordinary
when,followingJaguar’sthenchairman,SirJohn
Egan,successfullyturningthecompanyaround,the
Boardconsideredthecompanytobeinapositiontobeprivatised.
Eversince1 96 6,whenJaguarmergedwithBritish Motor
Holdings(whichbecametheBritishLeylandMotorCorporation
in 19 68),thecompanyhadbeenpartofalargerconglomerate
ofBritishmanufacturers.Itwasnotan
easytimeforJaguar–asapremium
brand,itneversuitedBL’srationalisation
ofpartsandlabour.Plus,becauseof
old, outdated factories,whichhadn’t
seenanyinvestmentfordecades,and
demotivatedstaff,itscarswereplagued
withreliabilityproblems.
However,Egan–whohadarrivedin
1980 –startedaseriesofmeasuresthat
sawanimprovementofhowthecarswereproduced,whichhada
positiveimpactonsales.In 19 80,Jaguarsoldjust 15 ,000cars;by
19 83,thishadrisento28,000.
Thedecisiontoprivatiseandbeindependentforthefirsttimein
almost 20 yearswasaresultofthishardwork,anditwouldimpact
onallofuswhoworkedthere.TheBoardhaddecidedthereshould
beownershipofthecompanybyitsemployeesandtherewasa
smallallocationoffreesharesforthestaff.Wecouldalsobuymore
usingloansthecompanyhadprearrangedthateitherhadsmallor

nointerestrates.MywifeandIputsomeofoursavingsintoafew

additionalshares,asdidalotofpeopleinthecompany.

Fortheworkforce,havingbeenthroughthetrialsandtribulations

ofthepastfewyears,theideaofJaguarbecomingindependent

againchangedthemoodandcreatedafeelingofoptimismand

pride–therewasalotoftalkofushaving‘greenblood’running

throughourveins.Thelevelsofpride,dedicationandloyaltytothe

companysurprisedeveryone,givingusafeelingofthecompany

beingacooperative.Forthefinancialsector,thiswasjustanother

privatisation,butforallofuswhowere

there,itwasaverybigandpersonaldeal.

TheprivatisationhelpedsparkJaguar’s

secondheyday:therewerenewcarsbeing

developed,reliabilitywasimprovingand

saleswereincreasing.TheEightiesreally

wasawonderfultimetobeaJaguar

employee.YetthissuccessmadeJaguar

atarget.

WewereboughtoutbyFordfiveyears

laterand,althoughthepricepershareitofferedwasveryfairand

thecompanyinvestedheavilyintoJaguar,formanyofusitwasn’t

quitethesameaswhenweownedashareofthecompany.

KeithHelfet wasaJaguardesignerbetween 1978 and

2002 .HismostfamouscreationsaretheXJ 41 ,XJ 220 ,XK

180 andF-typeconcept,plusthedesignthemesfortheXK 8.

Hecurrentlyrunshisowndesigncompany

THEPRIVATISATION

HELPEDSPARK

JAGUAR’SSECOND

HEYDAY