McLAREN Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt has made the sudden announcement that he will leave the company, stepping down after eight years leading the supercar-maker.

The company has started searching for a replacement and in the meantime has appointed non-executive director Michael Macht to oversee technical and operational functions, while chairman Paul Walsh will lead sales, marketing and public relations.

Mr Flewitt joined McLaren as chief operating officer in June 2012, and became CEO just over a year later.

Under his management, McLaren expanded its model line-up by launching several new products including the McLaren GT, McLaren Artura, and the McLaren Ultimate series, consisting of Senna, Senna GTR, Speedtail, and Elva.

He also helped the company increase its customer base and enter new markets.

Prior to joining McLaren nine years ago, Mr Flewitt was vice president of manufacturing at Ford of Europe and corporate officer at Ford’s global structure.

Before that, he held different senior positions at TWR, AutoNova, Rolls-Royce, and Bentley.

Mr Flewitt said: “I feel incredibly proud to have led McLaren Automotive through most of its first, highly successful decade and am privileged to have played a part in the incredible McLaren story.

“This young company’s success is a testament to the many passionate and talented people I have had the pleasure of working with and I look forward to seeing that success continue.”

McLaren executive chairman Paul Walsh said: “Mike has been instrumental in McLaren now being recognised as one of the world’s leading luxury supercar brands, achieving the heights of success that have taken our competitors many more decades to achieve.

“We thank Mike for his tremendous contribution and wish him all the very best in his future endeavours.”

McLaren is controlled by Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat. Automotive News (AN) reported that McLaren had been “repairing its finances after the pandemic halted production and scuppered the Formula One racing franchise”.

It said that in July, McLaren raised £550 million ($A1 billion) from existing investors and the sale of preference shares and equity warrants to new backers Ares Management Corporation and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. It also raised $A870 million from a bond issue.

In April, Automotive News reported that the company sold and leased back its headquarters in Woking, near London. And late last year, McLaren Group agreed to sell as much as a third of its racing unit to a consortium of US-based investors.

By Neil Dowling