Jaguar Design Chief Callum Quits

Ian Callum, who has headed design for Jaguar Cars Ltd. for a decade, is leaving the company on July 1.

His successor, Julian Thompson, joined Jaguar in 2000 from Group Lotus plc, where he was head of design. He currently is Jaguar’s creative design director.

Callum, now 64, began his career with Ford Motor Co. in 1979, serving in design studios in the U.S., Europe and Australia. He later spent 10 years as chief designer for Canadian interior design firm TWR Design before joining Jaguar in 1999.

In a statement, he says his mission at Jaguar was to take the iconic marque’s design “back to where it deserved to be,” meaning a contemporary rather than retro look. He says he intends to pursue other design projects.