Lotus has announced Conor Horne has joined the business as Commercial Director of UK and Ireland.
In his new role, Conor will work closely with Lotus’ leadership team to further develop the company’s business development strategy, as well as identifying new opportunities for growth in the UK and Ireland.
By 2028, Lotus has ambitions to sell 150,000 vehicles annually, as part of its vision to become a global luxury performance brand. The UK and Ireland are both key European markets for the business and Conor will play an integral role in growing the brand and reaching new customers in these regions.
Prior to joining Lotus, Conor was at Volvo, where he was responsible for launching and growing the organisation’s direct-to-consumer sales offering, as well managing Volvo’s recent move to agency sales in the UK. Conor brings a wealth of automotive experience with a focus on leading and operating traditional wholesale business models, in addition to direct-to-consumer sales.
The company recently opened Lotus London, its first European global brand centre in Mayfair, London. This is part of Lotus’ global customer experience strategy, focused on building a direct relationship and creating unique, personalised experiences for consumers. The business plans on growing its retail distribution network to 105 stores in Europe by 2025. Conor will lead the rollout of further stores in the UK and Ireland.
Mike Johnstone, Chief Commercial Officer at Lotus Group, said: “As Lotus continues to scale globally, Conor brings strong experience in business development, which will help us scale the brand and grow our customer base in the UK and Ireland.”
Commenting on his new role, Conor said: “Lotus has a world-class team, industry-leading technologies and a strong heritage, which combined has enormous potential. I look forward to building our presence and unlocking new growth opportunities in the UK and Ireland, as the company delivers its vision to become a global luxury performance brand.”
Lotus announced its Vision80 strategy in 2018 with plans to transform the brand into an all-electric intelligent, luxury mobility provider by 2028 – when the business celebrates its 80th anniversary. Lotus began delivering on its promise with the debut of the Eletre last year. It has started production for the vehicle and expects to deliver to customers in the UK and Europe later this summer.
