Bentley chief Hallmark to become next Aston Martin boss

Aston Martin has poached the boss of luxury car rival Bentley to become its next chief executive.

The British car firm, well known for its links to James Bond, said Adrian Hallmark will replace current chief executive officer Amedeo Felisa.

It said Mr Hallmark will take on the role by October 1 this year at the latest.

The new boss comes to the London-listed car maker from rival Bentley Motors, where he has led an improvement in financial performance since taking the helm in 2018.

It comes amid a key year for Aston Martin, as it pushes forward with production of its new Valhalla supercar.

Lawrence Stroll, executive chairman of Aston Martin and major shareholder, said: “When Amedeo was appointed CEO, I spoke of him leading a new phase of growth and development.

“Two years on we have delivered on that promise, as we near completion of our thrilling new product portfolio and move closer to our vision of becoming the world’s most desirable, ultra-luxury British performance brand.

“In Adrian Hallmark, we are attracting one of the highest calibre leaders not just in our segment, but in the entire global automotive industry.

“Complementing our world-class leadership, Adrian will bring to Aston Martin unrivalled experience in both the ultra-luxury and British manufacturing sectors to progress our strategy and continue recent momentum.”

Mr Hallmark said: “The transformation of Aston Martin is one of the most exciting projects within the ultra-luxury automotive industry.

“I am looking forward to continuing the company’s great momentum and utilising my experience and passion to further unleash this iconic brand’s potential and take it to even greater success.”

Mr Felisa said: “It has been a great privilege to serve as Aston Martin’s chief executive officer, leading our iconic brand through this exciting era.

“I am incredibly proud of the progress made over the last two years, which has aligned Aston Martin for a positive future direction. I believe now is the right time to allow the company to transition to new leadership.”

Aston Martin shares moved higher on Friday morning.