Kia has hired BMW Designworks design director Won Kyu Kang to serve as the vice president and head of its design innovation group.
During his tenure with BMW, Kang led the design of the eye-catching 2015 3.0 CSL Hommage. He is joining Kia from the start of November and will be reporting to senior vice president and head of the automaker’s design center Karim Habib.
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It is understood that Kang will specialize in advanced design planning for the South Korean automaker and lead the development of the company’s design language, influencing the exterior and interior designs of future models.
“I am honored to join the Kia design team, particularly at a time when the automotive industry is facing such a radical shift,” Kang said in a statement. “I believe Kia will play a major role in defining the new era of design with a wide range of electrified products and a visionary mobility roadmap for the future. I’m excited to be part of this journey with the committed design team at Kia to further strengthen its product line and design strategy. I am confident that the knowledge accumulated during my career will contribute to the ongoing transition of Kia, and I am looking forward to working with the team in new creative directions.”
Prior to working at BMW, Kang served as an interior design at the Hyundai Motor Group. He became an exterior designer at the BMW Group in 2005 and was later promoted to project lead and senior exterior designer until 2017, when he was promoted to creative director.
