Bentley CEO departs for Aston Martin 

Aston Martin has its fourth CEO in four years with the announcement that Adrian Hallmark has left his role as Chairman and CEO of Volkswagen Group-owned Bentley with immediate effect. The 61 year old will start his new role no later than 1 October 2024, replacing Amedeo Felisa.

Hallmark joined Bentley in 2018 and during his tenure he oversaw unprecedented growth for the British luxury brand, with revenue and operating profit climbing to £3.384 billion and £708 million in 2022. Although these dropped off in 2023 with 13 and 17 per cent declines respectively due to ‘uncertain market conditions’ (Russia bought a lot of Bentleys basically). 

> New Bentley Continental GT twin-turbo V8 hybrid due this year

Aston Martin’s outgoing CEO, Felisa, will stay in his role until Hallmark joins the company in the autumn where he will be tasked to deliver the returns and growth Lawrence Stroll has made clear he wants the brand to achieve. With DB12 deliveries underway, the new Vantage launched earlier this year the first car to be revealed under Hallmark’s leadership will be the 800bhp, hybrid-powered replacement the DBS, due this summer. 

According to one insider evo spoke to, one of Adrian Hallmark’s conditions of accepting the role was to have full autonomy over the brand’s future products and strategic direction. 

Since Aston Martin IPO’d in 2019 it has seen three CEO’s come and go. Andy Palmer was the first to depart following Stroll’s arrival, with the Canadian billionaire bringing in ex-AMG boss Tobias Moers, who’s tenure lasted 26 months and involved a great deal of unsettling and disgruntlement amongst staff. He was replaced by former Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa.