Mr. Austin has a long and distinguished career in the automotive industry. He started at Volvo Cars of North America in 1970, joining its Consumer Affairs Department. Mr. Austin's knowledge of cars and his ability to tell exciting stories about them enabled him to climb up the ranks to become the Manager of Public Relations in 1978. By 1991, Volvo expanded Mr. Austin's responsibilities to include advertising. When Volvo moved to Irvine, CA in 2002 under Ford ownership, Mr. Austin decided to remain in New Jersey.
A few months later, BMW NA recruited Mr. Austin to head up Marketing Communications for the latest brand in their portfolio, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. During the next five years, Rolls-Royce was reborn from a highly regarded but almost forgotten brand to its rightful position at the top of the automotive pyramid.
Mr. Austin describes himself as a car enthusiast and a humble storyteller, but his work speaks for itself over the decades. For the past decade, Mr. Austin has worked as a consultant to various organizations in and around the automobile industry. He also served as the Executive Director for the Rolls-Royce Owners' Club, an international organization with more than 6000 members for several years. Mr. Austin is a well-known member of the automotive community, which respects him for the honesty, integrity, and passion Mr. Austin brings to his work. He also writes, lectures, and teaches on a variety of automotive subjects.