Warwick University’s new building to be named after WMG founder

The newest building at the University of Warwick is to be named after Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, founder and chairman of Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG). 

Announced at the Coventry and Warwickshire Automotive Dinner in Warwickshire’s Coombe Abbey Hotel last week, the decision was made due to Lord Bhattacharyya’s “enormous contribution of Prof  to the University, the city, the region, and to Jaguar Land Rover”.

Lord Bhattacharyya, Britain’s first ever Professor of Manufacturing, founded WMG in 1980 with the support of vice-chancellor Jack Butterworth.

In 2004 he was made a life peer and became a member of the House of Lords.

Named the Lord Bhattacharyya Building, it will be the home of the National Automotive Innovation centre (NAIC), a £150 million partnership between WMG, Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Motors European Technical Centre, along with £15m from what was the UK Government’s Higher Education Funding Council England.

Warwick University vice-chancellor, Stuart Croft said: “The National Automotive Innovation Centre will be a beacon for automotive research bringing together the brightest minds from industry and academia, to develop future automotive technology.”

It will bring “together the brightest minds from industry and academia to develop future automotive technology”.

A formal opening of the new building  will take place in the new year.

In addition, Coventry City County has asked that University Road, from the Scarman roundabout to the Lord Bhattacharyya Building, be renamed ‘Lord Bhattacharyya Way’.