• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Brexit

BMW Sales Chief Urges Britain to Stay in European Union

By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 6, 2016, 8:40 AM ET
Luxury Automobiles On Display At BMW World Showroom
A BMW 750Li Xdrive luxury automobile, produced by Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, sits on display inside the BMW World showroom in Munich, Germany, on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016. BMW is at risk of losing its lead in the luxury car market this year to Mercedes-Benz after reporting the slowest sales growth since 2009 while its German arch-rival charged ahead with a fresher lineup and surging demand in China. Photographer: Martin Leissl/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesPhotograph by Martin Leissl—Bloomberg via Getty Images

Ian Robertson, BMW’s board member for sales, has dispensed with the Bavarian carmaker’s customary discretion and urged fellow Britons to vote to remain in the European Union in a referendum this month.

British support for leaving the EU has risen, with the Out campaign now having a 4-5 percentage point lead, according to opinion polls published on Monday.

Robertson, who was born in western England and brought up in Wales, fears that Britons do not fully grasp what is at stake in the referendum on June 23.

“The U.K. is a prosperous economy but if you imagine it without the flow of labor from the EU, I firmly believe that the British economy would not be in as strong a shape as it is,” Robertson, 58, said in an interview at BMW’s headquarters in Munich, southern Germany.

The global car and motorbike group, with its roots in Bavaria, owns the BMW (BMW-HM), Mini, and Rolls-Royce brands and employs 122,700 staff.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Around 7,800 of its employees work in factories dotted around Britain, including those producing Mini and Rolls-Royce cars, two brands that use their British heritage to market themselves around the globe.

Underscoring the point, Prime Minister David Cameron, campaigning to keep Britain in the EU, appeared on Monday in front of a row of Minis with the message “Stronger In” on their license plates.

An exit would make Britain less attractive as a location for investment even though demand for premium cars is solid, Robertson said.

“The U.K. is BMW’s fourth-largest market. The customer strength on the ground means that the investment case for the U.K. is there anyway. But part of the attraction is that ability to export as well as to import, and to do it in the most logistically friendly way.”

INWARD INVESTMENT

Much of the British car industry is now in foreign hands and Robertson argues that access to markets across the 28-nation EU played a crucial role in attracting overseas investment.

“If you look at the investment into the U.K. auto sector that occurred—whether it was from Germans, Americans, Japanese, or latterly Indians—the ability to be part of the EU was a factor when those decisions were made,” Robertson said. “It wasn’t the only factor, but it was an important one.”

For more about the Brexit, watch:

Businesses ranging from budget airline Ryanair to U.S. bank J.P. Morgan Chase (JPYYL) have warned of the economic consequences should Britain vote to leave.

Robertson, who headed BMW’s South Africa business from 1999-2005, is cautious about whether Mini might make changes to its production network in the event of an exit vote.

“At the end of the day, the British people are going to make a decision, and then we will consider what the next steps are,” Robertson said. It is less critical because BMW broadened its manufacturing footprint even before the Brexit debate started, as part of a “produce where you sell” strategy.

Today the Mini, for example, is made in Austria and the Netherlands as well as in England. BMWs are produced in China and the United States as well as Germany.

About the Author
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

America’s emergency oil reserve is about to hit its lowest level since Reagan was in office
EnergyIran
America’s emergency oil reserve is about to hit its lowest level since Reagan was in office
By Jordan BlumJune 10, 2026
28 minutes ago
Mortgage rates today, June 10, 2026
Personal Financemortgages
Mortgage rates today, June 10, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 10, 2026
33 minutes ago
Current refi mortgage rates report for June 10, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current refi mortgage rates report for June 10, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 10, 2026
33 minutes ago
Current ARM mortgage rates report for June 10, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current ARM mortgage rates report for June 10, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 10, 2026
33 minutes ago
A $7 billion horse race: Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley battle for ‘lead left’ position ahead of OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs
Startups & VentureFinance
A $7 billion horse race: Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley battle for ‘lead left’ position ahead of OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs
By Shawn TullyJune 10, 2026
34 minutes ago
Visa’s CFO downplays the importance of stablecoin and agentic commerce to the U.S. payments giant—at least in the short term
Bankingdigital and mobile payments
Visa’s CFO downplays the importance of stablecoin and agentic commerce to the U.S. payments giant—at least in the short term
By Angelica AngJune 10, 2026
34 minutes ago

Most Popular

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
Economy
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
By Nick LichtenbergJune 9, 2026
15 hours ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
Environment
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
By Sasha RogelbergJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 9, 2026
19 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.