Someone at Jaguar decided on a strategy. They targeted this business, they chose to litigate in that country, all for reasons. They calculated. They are protecting their brand.
Who owns the Jaguar brand?
Scions of scions of a legendary industrialist.
Chairman emeritus:
"Mr. Tata was the Chairman of the major Tata companies, including Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Power, Tata Global Beverages, Tata Chemicals, Indian Hotels and Tata Teleservices and during his tenure, the group’s revenues grew manifold, totaling over $ 100 billion in 2011-12.
"Mr. Tata serves on the international advisory boards of Mitsubishi Corporation and JP Morgan Chase. He is the Chairman of the Tata Trusts which are amongst India's oldest, non-sectarian philanthropic organizations that work in several areas of community development. He is the Chairman of the Council of Management of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and also serves on the board of trustees of Cornell University and the University of Southern California."
...
"The Government of India honored Mr. Tata with its second-highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2008. He has been appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and Rockefeller Foundation has conferred him with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Among his other achievements, Mr. Tata is also an honorary fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Royal Academy of Engineering and a foreign associate of National Academy of Engineering. He has received honorary doctorates from several universities in India and overseas."
etc. and soforth.
I'm guessing he's not a "car guy."
And here's your "Brand Custodian" who, if the company's lines of authority were in any way related to its titles, would be the guy responsible for this lawsuit. (But probably he has no idea, as all this happened six or seven layers of management below him).
This guy has long been involved with Tata Motors. He might actually be involved with the suit, at least in terms of having signed off absently one afternoon before (Tetley, of course) tea.
But who is really responsible?
DR. RALF SPETH was the CEO, Jaguar Land Rover until about 15 minutes ago.
As you may be aware, Jaguar has not been performing at peak lately, and its brand strategy (in the West at least) has been to remind rich folks about the majesty of its glory days with limited edition re-issues, and market everything with reference to that.
I can't find on line who is the boss of "Jaguar Classic" but it's a lock that the persons helming the legal section of this microscopic division within the tiny Jaguar division of the Lilliputan British motorcar division of the rather larger Tata Automotive division of the much more substantial Tata Industries wrote the initial memo outlining the strategy behind this lawsuit.
I'm sure it was all quite straightforward. Nothing personal, old chap.