Vauxhall has a new design chief. Pierre Leclercq has been appointed Head of Design for Vauxhall and Opel with immediate effect, succeeding Mark Adams, who is retiring after almost 25 years with the company. Leclercq will report to Florian Huettl, CEO of Opel-Vauxhall, and Gilles Vidal, Stellantis Head of Design for European Brands.
The 54-year-old Belgian national joins from Citroën, where he served as Head of Design and helped strengthen the brand’s identity. A 1998 graduate of the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, he began his career at Ford’s Ghia design studio in Italy before joining BMW Group in 2000. Over the following decade he worked on the iconic British brands of MINI and Rolls-Royce as well as BMW, before being appointed Head of Design for BMW M in 2011. He later became Head of Design at Great Wall Motors in China in 2013 and Design Director at Kia Motors in South Korea in 2017, taking the Citroën role in November 2018.
Adams leaves a considerable legacy at Vauxhall. Born and raised in the UK and a Royal College of Art automotive design graduate, he joined Vauxhall and Opel in 2002 as Director of Exterior Design and was promoted to Vice President of Design in 2007, leading all production and concept vehicles since then, including the Corsa, ADAM, Mokka, Astra and Insignia. He was the driving force behind Vauxhall’s ‘Bold and Pure’ design language, started in 2017, which introduced the Vizor brand face, the Compass and the Pure Panel interior now found across the Vauxhall portfolio. Most recently he developed the ambitious evolution of that language seen on the STX Concept, which made its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October.
“I would like to thank Mark Adams for his commitment, inspiration, and service for almost a quarter of a century,” said Florian Huettl, Opel-Vauxhall CEO. “Mark served as Vice President Design longer than any of his predecessors. His work and vision have shaped what Vauxhall and Opel are today. We wish him the very best for his well-deserved retirement. At the same time, we’re delighted to welcome Pierre Leclercq as Head of Design. His global background and vision are tremendous assets in supporting the evolution of Vauxhall and Opel.”
Gilles Vidal, Stellantis Head of Design for European Brands, added: “Pierre has a deep understanding of brand identity and a recognised ability to translate strategic vision into desirable products. His experience, creativity, and high standards will be invaluable assets in continuing the development of Vauxhall and Opel Design, reinforcing their unique positions within the UK and European markets.”
Source: Vauxhall press release via Newspress
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