Charlotte Dickson – what a breath of fresh air. She has taken on the Asia Pacific Regional Director role for McLaren Automotive and is the first female to do so. Not that she’s too fussed about that side of it, “for me, it’s more about that I’m young, I’m ambitious. It’s a big position to have at my age, and so that’s kind of where the pride comes from.”
Often when you chat to the senior execs at these global powerhouse brands, they’re fairly sterile and media trained. Dickson was not, she was generous with her words and time. Nothing felt scripted, no ego or bravado, she seemed truly comfortable in her role and herself and this was evident in her energy.
Dickson’s background has seen her work for brands like Rolls-Royce, Bentley and now McLaren for the past seven years.
“I’ve been in automotive my whole career, and my father was in automotive,” she explained. “That’s where my love of cars and super luxury cars came from. So I’ve always been very driven and determined to be the best that I can be.”
With a 17 strong retailer network and 22 showrooms under her watch, she has her hands full but when you’re working with machines like McLaren that’s got to ease the pain a little.
I was able to pin her down for a chat at the launch of the new McLaren Artura Spider in Sydney. Dickson is British through and through and this is reflected in her Dream Garage below – a great chat with loads of personality, enjoy.
Daily Drive: Mini John Cooper Works
“I live in Singapore, so I don’t have a daily drive because the taxes are 110 per cent or something crazy. But when I was living in the UK, I was a Mini fan; Mini John Cooper Works. A little coupe, beautiful. Goes super fast, like a go-kart, it was amazing. It was British racing green with all the really cool stripes. Had amazing wheels, and yes, definitely a manual. I literally loved that car, and I would have one again. It’s a British brand, I seem to resonate to these British brands. Probably, because my father had or still does have a really old Mini that he renovated, and it’s amazing, they’re just so fun. So if I could have a daily drive, that would be what I would have. Otherwise, I’ll walk or take the MRT, the underground.”
Something special: Range Rover
“So again, going back to British brands, but old school, my dad used to have the really old style Range Rovers. They look like a box on wheels. And my dad used to have one, and it was, again, it was like a very dark green it had beautiful, tan interior. And now they cost a fortune if they’re fully renovated. I do love a 4×4. And I do love, like the old Defenders, the Range Rovers. So if I could, I’d have a Range Rover, I’d have a Defender, and I’d just go between the two, but the really old school one, the classics. I love that type of car. I’m not really into very bespoke, niche cars, per se. That would be what I would have as my special cars.”
Track Toy: McLaren 765LT
“I am going to say 765LT. The reason I say that is because, for me, if you’re going to go on track, it needs to be extreme and that car is amazingly extreme. 750 is phenomenal. Artura is phenomenal. But LT, especially if you have a pro driver taking you around, it’s really scary. And for me, that’s what McLaren does really well on track. And 765 I think is one of the pinnacle products. So, yeah, I would say 765LT.”
Knowing Charlotte’s background, her gypsy travelling ways for work and her obsession with cars, I had no doubt she’s driven the world’s fastest cars on the world’s best racetrack. So which track is she taking the 765LT to?
“Oh, that’s a really hard question. Fuji, in Japan is phenomenal. That’s very special. Silverstone in the UK, it’s a classic. I would say Fuji and Silverstone are the classics and are just, amazing tracks, great corners. Silverstone more because of growing up, my dad used to take me to Silverstone for the F1, it brings back a lot of memories. Fuji, because I’ve driven it a lot, and it’s just a perfectly designed track.”
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