Jon Wakefield has been appointed managing director of AION Auto UK ahead of the brand’s UK launch this month.
AION was founded in 2017 as an electrified brand from GAC Group, one of China’s largest and oldest vehicle manufacturers.
AION Auto UK is a joint venture between GAC and Jameel Motors, an independent international vehicle distribution group.
GAC has its origins in the 1950s and has 20 years of experience in joint ventures with Honda and Toyota.
Wakefield brings three decades of industry experience to his new role.
After 10 years fulfilling numerous senior roles across Volvo Cars in the UK and Europe, he returned to the UK in 2023 to join Harwoods Group as CEO.
Wakefield said: “It’s not often you get the opportunity to start from a clean sheet, so I’m very much relishing the challenge.
“We’re building a new business for a well-established Chinese brand in a new market, but our joint venture structure uniquely allows us to draw on long-established resources and expertise of two automotive powerhouses.
“We can act with confidence and authority to pursue a strategy for long-term sustainable growth, and our entire operation can enjoy the benefits and agility of being a start-up. These include the way we collaborate with our retail partners, how we introduce our products, and how we focus on delivering an excellent customer experience.”
Leading AION’s introduction to the UK is the AION V, a C-segment SUV.
First deliveries are planned for early 2026, and the lineup will expand with the addition of the AION UT, a B-segment hatchback.
