Jaguar Land Rover has recruited the chief executive of a charity focused on improving education in Africa to lead its newly set up Foundation.

PEAS chief executive Laura Brown is to take up the role of director of the car firm’s JLR Foundation from next month.

Brown, who is a former secondary school teacher has been at PEAS for more than 14 years and as its chief executive since 2018.

JLR’s foundation has been set up to support young people and children, with a particular focus on helping those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

It is being backed by the car firm by £2.5m in its first year and has been set up as part of JLR’s commitments around setting environmental and community benchmarks.

The Foundation will officially launch later this year.

Andrea Debbane, JLR chief sustainability officer and a trustee of the foundation, said: “Today’s young minds are tomorrow’s engineers, designers and innovators. And they are the leaders and creators of our future society.

“We want to help unlock aspiration and potential in all children and young people, many of whom miss out because they don’t know opportunities exist, or they don’t have the self belief or means to try.

“By removing barriers and providing access to the right skills, knowledge and opportunities, they can all play their part in building an exceptional and sustainable future.

Other trustees of the Foundation are JLR chief of staff Chris Thorp, global director of HR Phobe Leet and Tata Consulting Services, head of sustainability Latin America François Dossa. Additional JLR and independent trustees are to be appointed over time.

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