Kia Motors has appointed Won Kyu Kang Vice President and Head of Kia Design Innovation. The designer will begin his new role starting in November at the Kia Design Center in Namyang, Korea, and will report directly to Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia Design Center. Specializing in advanced design planning, Kang will guide Kia’s strategic design development by shaping future styling projects for both the exterior and interior of the entire product range. According to the Korean manufacturer, his appointment is the latest move to establish a leadership position in electrification and capitalize on new design opportunities. Advanced design is seen as a key element in this sense, thanks to the new shape and architecture challenges posed by electric and electrified vehicles.
A graduate in Transportation Design from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, Kang brings with him over 15 years of experience in exterior design. He recently served as creative director of BMW Group Designworks in Shanghai, China, where he led the design development process for a series of products. Previously he spent much of his career with the BMW Group, and was the leading exterior designer of the 2015 BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage concept car. The Kia Design Center in Namyang, Korea, is the hub of Kia’s global design network and works closely with the brand’s design centers in China, Europe and the United States. The headquarters oversees all aspects of Kia’s design, from conceptualisation and modelling to styling and colour and material development.
