INEOS Automotive has appointed Sanka De Silva as its new Regional Director for the UK and Ireland, marking a strategic leadership move as the brand continues to build momentum in its home market. The appointment arrives at a pivotal moment for the company, following its strongest quarterly performance to date and a continued acceleration in both retail and fleet demand for the INEOS Grenadier.
De Silva brings 15 years of automotive industry experience spanning product, sales operations and marketing. His career began on Nissan UK’s Graduate Scheme, where he developed a foundation across multiple commercial disciplines before progressing into senior roles. He later held key leadership positions at Kia UK, including Marketing Director and Sales Director over the past five years, where he helped steer brand growth, strengthen market positioning and refine national sales strategies.
At INEOS Automotive, his remit will focus on expanding commercial performance across the UK&I region, with particular emphasis on retail network development and strategic footprint expansion. This includes overseeing the appointment of new sales and service points in the coming months, a move designed to support rising customer demand and improve market accessibility for the Grenadier range.
The appointment comes during a period of strong commercial performance for INEOS Automotive, which recorded a 20% year-on-year increase in Q1 2026 sales. The company also reported a record number of orders for its Grenadier 4X4, alongside growing fleet adoption across a widening range of operational use cases. With more than 36,000 vehicles delivered globally since production began, the brand continues to transition from early-stage niche challenger to established off-road specialist.
Mike Whittington, Chief Commercial Officer at INEOS Automotive, welcomed the appointment, highlighting De Silva’s broad experience across sales, marketing and network development in the UK automotive sector. He noted that the brand’s recent success, supported by returning customers and increasing fleet confidence, creates a strong platform for further growth.
De Silva described his move as an opportunity to join a business defined by product differentiation and ambition, stepping away from traditional legacy OEM structures. He emphasized the importance of building on existing momentum, particularly as updated model year 2026 vehicles reach customers and fleet order books continue to expand. His focus will be on strengthening the brand’s presence while supporting long-term commercial scalability in a highly competitive market.
The INEOS Grenadier continues to be positioned as a purpose-built 4x4 designed for durability and real-world capability, attracting both private owners and professional fleet operators. More details on the range can be found via :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}.
As INEOS Automotive enters its next phase of growth, the combination of leadership renewal, expanding demand, and an increasingly mature product portfolio signals a company intent on consolidating its early success into sustained market presence across the UK and Ireland.
