John Buckingham, former BMW designer, will lead Kia Next Design Exterior Group starting June 1.
British-born Buckingham worked with Faraday Future and Bentley before joining Kia. He was also the key figure behind the design of the second-generation (2018) BMW 8 Series.
John Buckingham during his time with BMW.
Vice President Teck Koun Kim controls Kia’s exterior, interior, and CMF (Colour, Materials, Finish) design. Buckingham will solely design exteriors.
The pair will report to Kia Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design Center Karim Habib, who is also a former BMW designer. Regarding this major acquisition, Habib stated:
It bears mentioning that most modern BMWs have a polarising look. While acquiring a BMW design maestro is a significant development for the Korean automotive giant, it is feared that future Kias may also share the same divisiveness as BMW in terms of design.
Source: Pro Pakistani