Archive : Leyland/BMC merger

On this day:

JAGUAR MEMO
From: Technical Director William Heynes
To: Chairman Sir William Lyons

Points For Discussion

1. From your note it appears that you are now prepared to give Engineering fuller control of the situation than you have been prepared to do in the past, and I believe, and always have believed, and this is necessary. Whilst you had your finger completely on the pulse, it operated satisfactorily but such delegation as you have given has not been complete enough to permit the various Directors to operate completely and prove whether they can, or cannot, carry the job.
2. There is no doubt the Company is badly missing Mr Whittaker who was responsible more than anyone in the organisation for welding the various departments into a single unit. He could, and did, discuss with all the Directors the various day-to-day problems without any personal aggrandisment and was virtually the second step in the ladder, which gave cohesion.
3. Mr Silver as overall Director of the production side, has never been effectively replaced and there is no single man on the production who is capable of, or willing to, force through a programme.

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Keith Adams

Editor and creator AROnline at AROnline

Created www.austin-rover.co.uk in 2001 and built it up to become the world's foremost reference source for all things BMC, Leyland and Rover Group, before renaming it AROnline in 2007.

Is the Editor of the Parkers website and price guide, formerly editor of Classic Car Weekly, and launch editor/creator of Modern Classics magazine. Has contributed to various motoring titles including Octane, Practical Classics, Evo, Honest John, CAR magazine, Autocar, Pistonheads, Diesel Car, Practical Performance Car, Performance French Car, Car Mechanics, Jaguar World Monthly, MG Enthusiast, Modern MINI, Practical Classics, Fifth Gear Website, Radio 4, and the the Motoring Independent...

Likes 'conditionally challenged' motors and taking them on unfeasible adventures all across Europe.

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