(Bloomberg) — McLaren Automotive Ltd. said it had appointed former Ferrari NV’s technology head as the next chief executive officer for the closely-held company.
Michael Leiters, who stepped down from Ferrari in December will begin his new role at McLaren on July 1, McLaren said Wednesday. Leiters, 50, will be based at the manufacturer’s headquarters in Woking, England.
Leiters is taking over from Mike Flewitt, who abruptly resigned in October as the company continued to work through significant turmoil triggered by the pandemic. McLaren’s shareholders have been in discussions with Audi since late last year, about a potential acquisition of McLaren as a way to enter Formula 1 racing and promote its technology.
McLaren Wednesday confirmed it has been in talks with various parties around possible collaborations “though this process has been hugely exaggerated and distorted in some media reporting.”
The company is open to exploring options on working with technology partners, including carmakers, as part of its electrification strategy, it said.
The super-car maker controlled by Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat has been repairing its finances after the pandemic halted production and scuppered the Formula 1 racing franchise. For the 2020-21 period, McLaren said it saw “very strong” demand for high-margin cars with a limited production run.
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