![Kia poaches ex-BMW and ex-Infiniti designer Karim Habib 01]()
After a short and tumultuous two years at Infiniti (the fallout between Carlos Ghosn and Nissan), Karim Habib has now been confirmed to have taken up a new position at Kia.
Habib will start his new position as Senior Vice President and Head of Kia Design Center in October, and will be based at Kia’s global design headquarters in Namyang, Korea.
Habib will oversee the work of Kia’s exterior, interior, color, and material teams, and help determine the future design strategy and direction of the Kia brand, reporting to Luc Donckerwolke, Executive Vice President and Chief Design Officer of Hyundai Motor Group.
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Born in Lebanon, Habib studied Mechanical Engineering at McGill University in Canada, as well as Transportation Design at the Art Center College of Design in California. He is fluent in English, French, German, and Italian.
He last served as Executive Design Director at Nissan’s luxury arm Infiniti. Before that, he spent nearly 20 years at the BMW Group, punctuated by two years at Daimler.
Karim Habib career highlights:
- 2017 - 2019: Executive Design Director Infiniti, Nissan Motor Company
- 2012 - 2017: Head of Design BMW Automobiles, BMW Group
- 2011 - 2012: Head of Exterior Design BMW Automobiles, BMW Group
- 2009 - 2011: Senior Manager Advanced Design Germany, Daimler
- 2007 - 2009: Chief Designer Advanced Design, BMW Group
- 2004 - 2007: Senior Designer (Exterior Production Design), BMW Group
- 2002 - 2003: Exterior/Interior Designer - Advanced Design, BMW Group
- 1998 - 2001: Exterior/Interior Production Designer, BMW Group
Over 15 years of experience in automotive, from product planning, to market research, to print and digital media. Garages a 6-cylinder manual RWD but buses to work.
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