Tom Purves new Rolls Royce CEO

Tom Purves: Going to Rolls Royce

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DETROIT -- Tom Purves on July 1 will become the new CEO of BMW's Rolls-Royce -- the ultraluxury carmaker where he started his career as an apprentice engineer.

Purves, 59, will succeed Ian Robertson, 49, who last month was named BMW's head of sales and marketing to replace the departing Stefan Krause.

Purves, a native of Scotland, has led BMW's North American sales subsidiary since 1999. He joined BMW in 1985 as sales director of the automaker's British operation. Purves also ran Land Rover, Mini, MG and Rover before he went to the United States.

BMW later sold Land Rover and Rover.

Purves said today he will leave as chairman of BMW of North America to become CEO of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England.

The move means Jim O'Donnell, 58, who took over as BMW's No. 2 executive in North America on April 1, will become CEO of the North American unit.

O'Donnell, also a native of Scotland and former managing director of BMW in the United Kingdom, assumed Howard Mosher's role as BMW's vice president of operations in North America. Mosher retired March 31 at age 61.

Homecoming for the apprentice

For Purves, leading Rolls-Royce will be a homecoming. He spent the first 17 years of his career there. According to his company biography, his role at Rolls-Royce evolved to include several management positions in various fields, including sales in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. During that time, Purves was based in the Middle East and Switzerland, according to the biography.