Former Chrysler Group UK boss Simon Elliott is returning to the role following the sudden exit of current managing director Peter Lambert this week.

AM understands staff at its headquarters in Milton Keynes were told of Lambert’s departure on Monday. A source close to the company said there was no suggestion he was moving immediately to another job.

In September, Steve Gray quit as marketing director after 15 years in the post. His replacement has not been announced.

A Chrysler Group UK spokesman confirmed Lambert had left, and said Elliott would become “interim managing director”. Lambert had only been in the role for 18 months, having replaced Elliott who transferred in March 2006 to head Chrysler’s retail operation in China. Elliott was due to return to the UK in 2008.

In the first nine months of this year, Chrysler Group’s registrations totalled 15,370 units against 15,903 units in the same period in 2006.

Previously, Lambert had been sales and marketing director of Mercedes-Benz vans.