Dr Miranda Brawn has joined UK billionaires Hindujas and Ashok Leyland to become the Queen of Electrical Vehicles (EV) after accepting an invitation to become a member of the Board of Directors at Switch Mobility Ltd. Switch Mobility has been formed by combining the electric commercial vehicle operations of Ashok Leyland and the former Optare company backed by the Hindujas Group to produce net zero carbon electrical vehicles. Last Friday, 30th July 2021 Switch Mobility secured an investment that the FT report values circa $1.8 billion. 

Former Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan banker, senior lawyer, Founder and President of The Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation, Dr Miranda Brawn, has been appointed by UK’s second-richest and one of the world’s richest families, billionaires Hindujas and Ashok Leyland as the first female independent non-executive director (iNED) at Switch Mobility Ltd (backed by the Hinduja Group). This is to help launch electric vehicles ambitions with Switch Mobility. She is now one of the most senior women within the global engineering, electrical vehicle and technology industry in the global boardroom. New venture Switch Mobility aims to be a global Top 10 electrical vehicles brand with Brawn’s leadership.

Switch Mobility says that Dr Miranda Brawn, brings her wealth of expertise and experience across many sectors including finance, law, technology and engineering –notably electric vehicles – to the boardrooms of global organisations. Her focus areas include corporate governance, regulatory and risk management, while trailblazing the way for the diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) and environment, social and governance (ESG) agenda in the corporate boardroom.

Dheeraj Hinduja, Chairman of Switch Mobility, said: “We have brought together all our electrical vehicles initiatives under the Switch Mobility umbrella. In pursuit of our ambitious goal to lead net zero carbon mobility, we are strengthening our team to drive these execution plans vigorously. Furthermore, we strongly believe in diversity of talent at the board level to guide and support the Management. I welcome Dr Miranda Brawn to the Board. I am confident that her extensive experience will be invaluable in directing the company to accelerate our vision.”

Dr Miranda Brawn, Switch Mobility’s Independent Non-Executive Director, said: “It is an honour to join an extraordinary company and a team of top expert industry leaders within the engineering space. Together we are going to create a leading first-class global electric vehicle company, trailblazing the way to zero-carbon transportation. I am very proud to be joining the Board of Directors of Switch Mobility as an independent non-executive director with a unique diverse background and to be part of this exciting mission. Ashok Leyland and Switch Mobility have the potential to change the landscape of mobility globally. I am delighted to be able to use my extensive experience spanning more than two decades to help the organisation reach global success while playing our part in tackling climate change.”

The Hindujas have pulled in some heavyweight names to run the show at Switch Mobility, not least Dr. Andrew Palmer, who was formerly at the helm as President and CEO of the British supercar Aston Martin. Also on-board for the electric drive joining Dr Miranda Brawn is an automotive industry veteran and former President and CEO of Federal-Mogul Corporation (NASDAQ: FDML), José Maria Alapont, to the Board of Directors.