Redefining the Client Journey. Lessons from JLR’s Power of Marketing Day.

When did you join JLR and what is your job role?

I joined JLR through the Women in the Know programme in September 2015 on the four‑year Advanced Apprenticeship scheme as a Sheet Metal Worker in the Body‑in‑White Prototype Plant just outside Castle Bromwich. I’m now a Client Experience Designer within the Client Experience Centre of Excellence, part of the Growth area of JLR. In my role, I work closely with our House of Brands teams and collaborate across the wider business on both transformational programmes and shorter‑term projects. My focus is on shaping the end‑to‑end client journey - designing experiences that feel seamless, consistent and truly reflective of the expectations of our modern luxury clients.

What roles have you had at JLR?

I actually started my journey at JLR as an Advanced Apprentice in 2015, after taking part in the Women in the Know programme at school. That week opened my eyes to engineering and gave me the confidence to apply - which was huge for me at the time. Getting the apprenticeship felt like a dream come true, especially as someone who loved Defender and anything hands‑on. During my apprenticeship, I specialised in Sheet Metal Work in Pilot Operations: working with engineers, building prototype vehicles by hand, improving processes, and repairing panels. After qualifying as a Grade 1 Sheet Metal Worker, I continued supporting vehicles through to launch. When COVID hit, things shifted across the business, and opportunities for people who were interested in developing outside their area started to open up. I took the chance to explore another part of JLR and joined the UK Shows & Events Team on a secondment. Supporting events like Goodwood and private previews made me realise how transferable my skills were, and how much I enjoyed being closer to the client experience. From there, I moved into a C‑grade role in Customer Journey, supporting project delivery, then digital work, and now I am a CX Designer supporting the enterprise on transformational and tactical experience‑led projects. It’s been a big shift from manufacturing, but everything I learned as an apprentice still shapes how I work today.

Tell us about the 'Power of Marketing Day' that you attended recently.

The Power of Marketing Day I attended recently was amazing! I went along with my senior manager and colleagues, and we were all completely blown away by the energy, the content and the passion from every guest speaker. I love sessions like this - they’re so motivating, genuinely interesting, and full of practical takeaways I can bring straight back into my work. We heard from Johnny Hornby at WPP, who spoke about how AI needs to become much more embedded in the way we work so we can move faster and stay ahead. Rory Sutherland shared brilliant examples of how small ideas can have a massive impact, and how behavioural science can make marketing so much smarter. And Noel Mack from Gymshark gave a really honest and inspiring look at how he and a small team took risks, backed themselves and grew the brand into one of the fastest‑growing names out there. The whole day was powerful, relatable and genuinely inspiring. We also had the chance to network with colleagues beforehand, which I really enjoyed - it was lovely to connect with new teams and people ahead of the event.

What is something you learnt from the day?

One of the things that really stayed with me was something Jon Evans, host of The Uncensored CMO, said he’d learnt: when benchmarking other luxury brands, don’t just look at what they do well and try to replicate it. Instead, look at where they aren’t strong, and make sure we define, own and deliver those areas to the highest possible standard. It completely shifted how I think about research, competitive analysis and how we identify opportunities. It also shaped how I plan to present findings back to teams, focusing on gaps, not just strengths. I also appreciated how honest all the speakers were about the challenges they’ve faced, personally and professionally. Hearing that things don’t always go to plan, even for people at their level, was refreshing and reassuring. It reminded me that we’re all navigating similar things, just in different contexts.

How does your job relate to the customer and their experience?

My role as a Client Experience Designer is entirely centred around the client and ensuring their experience not only meets but exceeds their expectations. I support different areas of the business on both long‑term transformational programmes and shorter tactical projects - researching, defining and designing what the ideal client experience should be. I act as the voice of the client within internal workstreams. JLR is a big organisation with many moving parts, so a key part of my role is making sure we bring the right teams together at the right time to deliver a truly modern luxury experience. I focus on everything outside of the vehicle itself - the full journey a client has with us: discovering the brand, exploring online, visiting retailers, ordering their vehicle, collection day, ownership and then renewal. My job is to help shape all of those touchpoints so the experience feels seamless, thoughtful and reflective of the level of luxury our clients expect.

What skills have helped you succeed in your role?

The skills that have helped me succeed in my role are a blend of curiosity, adaptability, and a genuine desire to make a positive impact. I love learning and I welcome change; staying open to new ideas helps me shape experiences that are thoughtful and future‑focused. I enjoy working collaboratively and building strong relationships across teams, markets, and disciplines. Networking, asking thoughtful questions, and bringing people together has always been a natural part of how I work, and it helps uncover the nuances that truly elevate a client experience. Being deeply client‑centric is at the heart of everything I do - I care about designing journeys that feel intuitive, luxury, and genuinely meaningful. Coming from a manufacturing background, I’ve found that many of the skills I developed there have transferred seamlessly into this role, just in a different environment. Working across my team and alongside engineers - reviewing what’s working well and what isn’t, improving processes, facilitating conversations, solving problems, and even the hands‑on work of repairing panels - all shaped the way I think and collaborate today. Over time, I’ve also developed a real sense of self‑belief while staying true to who I am and my authentic approach. That balance helps me stay grounded, open, and able to co‑create solutions that genuinely work for the people and clients we support.

What advice would you give someone considering a career in commercial at JLR?

Absolutely go for it! The breadth of what sits within the Commercial and Growth space at JLR is incredible - it touches so many parts of the business and is genuinely an exciting place to work. When I was younger, I had no idea what direction I wanted to go in, and I definitely never imagined I’d become a CX Designer. If you’d told 16‑year‑old me that, I wouldn’t have believed you. What I love most about Commercial is the variety of teams and the impact we have across the wider client journey - from marketing to digital channels to aftersales. There’s so much opportunity to learn, grow and discover where your strengths fit. I fell in love with Commercial the first time I had the chance to work in it, and I’m so glad I stayed. It genuinely feels like I’ve found my place.