NIO design team expands. As of October 1, Joaquin Garcia and Alister Whelan join Andreas Nilsson and Colin Phipps as directors of the design studio. Each has a role in leading the global teams working to create a new electric model for NIO. Garcia and Whelan will report to Kris Tomasson, vice president of NIO Design.
Joaquin Garcia comes to NIO after five years at Seat and Cupra where he served as head of Exterior Design for all production and concept cars. Prior to joining Volkswagen Group in 2010, Garcia gained experience in Barcelona, Valencia, Cologne and Paris with established vehicle manufacturers including Skoda, Ford and Renault. “This is an exciting time to join NIO, a brand with a strong design philosophy and identity,” says Garcia.
Alister Whelan joins NIO after 21 years at Jaguar Land Rover Group where he led Interior Design and User Experience. “I am extremely proud to join Kris and the NIO family. Both progressive and human, NIO is a premium brand that I have sincerely admired for a long time and I look forward to contributing to its success,” says Whelan.
