[DrivenByE30]

I am confident he will penned us even more strikingly beautiful BMWs !!! Go Karim!!

I am really having a good feeling about him!! Very good choice by BMW to move him up the latter...

Best of luck and Best of times to you Karim!

[Tunisie-G]

Leik, I'm proud of you habibi, us middle easterners are small in numbers, but gigantic in brain power and ingenuity, make us proud, and congrats on the promotion Karim, you deserve it

[Farhan]

Great news .....

I wish him all the best & hope for even greater designs from Mr. Habib.

[EnI]

Originally Posted by jerrypon83

So, does he replace anyone in BMW? If so, who does he replace then?

The position Habib is filling has been empty for quite a while.

This position was once Adrian van Hooydonk's position under Bangle; but with Bangle leaving BMW AvH moved up a ladder - taking Bangle's position of Head of BMW Group design. Officially the position of Head of BMW Automobile Design left empty then but AvH has still been overseeing the operations on that level as well.

If you remember it was the same with Bangle. He first was Head of BMW Design, then becoming Head of BMW Group design ... and acting as head of both divisions until AvH was named Head of BMW Automobile Design. Till then AvH had been Head of BMW DesignworkUSA Studios (Verena Klooss took that position after AvH, and was later replaced by L. Schaffer, when Mrs. Klooss was named Head of BMW Group Design Strategy & Advance Development).

So, to recap:

Adrian van Hooydonk (ex-Head of BMW Design) is Head of BMW Group Design
(Which includes: BMW Automobile Design, BMW i Design, BMW M and Individual Design, BMW Motorcycle Design, MINI Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Design, BMW DesignworksUSA).

Karib Habib is now filling the empty Head of BMW Design position (moving up from the Head of BMW Automobile Exterior Design position, which now remains empty).

Ex-Head of MINI Interor Design Marc Girard is Head of BMW (Automobile) Interior Design (replacing deceased Michael Ninic in this position).

Benoit Jacob (the guy who penned BMW M1 Hommage Concept) is Head of BMW i Design.

Ulf Weidhase is Head of BMW M & Individual Design.

Anders Warming (ex-Head of BMW Automobile Exterior Design - Habib's predecessor in this position) is now Head of MINI Design.

Ian Cameron is Head of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Design.

Edgar Heinrich was recently named new Head of BMW Motorcycles Design (replacing David Robb in this position).

Laurenz Schaffer is Head of BMW DesignworksUSA Studios.


So the BMW Group Design Department hierarchy chart looks like that:

1.
Head of BMW Group Design (Adrian van Hooydonk)

.

1.5
Head of BMW Group Design Strategy & Advance Development (Verena Kloos)

.

2.
Head of BMW (Automobile) Design (Karim Habib)
Head of BMW M & Individual Design (Ulf Weidhase)
Head of BMW i Design (Benoit Jacob)
Head of MINI Design (Anders Warming)
Head of RR Motor Cars Design (Ian Cameron)
Head of BMW Motorcycles Design (Edgar Heinrich)
Head of BMW DesignworksUSA & California Studio (Laurenz Schaffer)

.
.
.

3.
Head of * Exterior Design (*BMW = empty; *MINI = Marcus Syring; *RR = Giles Taylor)
Head of * Interior Design (*BMW = Marc Girard; *MINI = Oliver Sieghart; *RR = Alan Sheppard)
Head of BMW DesignworksUSA Studios: Munich (Niko Saurma); Singapore (Magnus Aspegren); Shanghai (Gerhard Steinle)

.
.
.

4.
Head of Interior Trim, Colors & Materials
Head of Wheels Design
Head of Clay Modeling
Head of CAD/CAM Design
etc.

[bimmerJP]

Originally Posted by EnI

The position Habib is filling has been empty for quite a while.

This position was once Adrian van Hooydonk's position under Bangle; but with Bangle leaving BMW AvH moved up a ladder - taking Bangle's position of Head of BMW Group design. Officially the position of Head of BMW Automobile Design left empty then but AvH has still been overseeing the operations on that level as well.

If you remember it was the same with Bangle. He first was Head of BMW Design, then becoming Head of BMW Group design ... and acting as head of both divisions until AvH was named Head of BMW Automobile Design. Till then AvH had been Head of BMW DesignworkUSA Studios (Verena Klooss took that position after AvH, and was later replaced by L. Schaffer, when Mrs. Klooss was named Head of BMW Group Design Strategy & Advance Development).

So, to recap:

Adrian van Hooydonk (ex-Head of BMW Design) is Head of BMW Group Design
(Which includes: BMW Automobile Design, BMW i Design, BMW M and Individual Design, BMW Motorcycle Design, MINI Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Design, BMW DesignworksUSA).

Karib Habib is now filling the empty Head of BMW Design position (moving up from the Head of BMW Automobile Exterior Design position, which now remains empty).

Ex-Head of MINI Interor Design Marc Girard is Head of BMW (Automobile) Interior Design (replacing deceased Michael Ninic in this position).

Benoit Jacob (the guy who penned BMW M1 Hommage Concept) is Head of BMW i Design.

Ulf Weidhase is Head of BMW M & Individual Design.

Anders Warming (ex-Head of BMW Automobile Exterior Design - Habib's predecessor in this position) is now Head of MINI Design.

Ian Cameron is Head of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Design.

Edgar Heinrich was recently named new Head of BMW Motorcycles Design (replacing David Robb in this position).

Laurenz Schaffer is Head of BMW DesignworksUSA Studios.


So the BMW Group Design Department hierarchy chart looks like that:

1.
Head of BMW Group Design (Adrian van Hooydonk)

.

1.5
Head of BMW Group Design Strategy & Advance Development (Verena Kloos)

.

2.
Head of BMW (Automobile) Design (Karim Habib)
Head of BMW M & Individual Design (Ulf Weidhase)
Head of BMW i Design (Benoit Jacob)
Head of MINI Design (Anders Warming)
Head of RR Motor Cars Design (Ian Cameron)
Head of BMW Motorcycles Design (Edgar Heinrich)
Head of BMW DesignworksUSA & California Studio (Laurenz Schaffer)

.
.
.

3.
Head of * Exterior Design (*BMW = empty; *MINI = Marcus Syring; *RR = Giles Taylor)
Head of * Interior Design (*BMW = Marc Girard; *MINI = Oliver Sieghart; *RR = Alan Sheppard)
Head of BMW DesignworksUSA Studios: Munich (Niko Saurma); Singapore (Magnus Aspegren); Shanghai (Gerhard Steinle)

.
.
.

4.
Head of Interior Trim, Colors & Materials
Head of Wheels Design
Head of Clay Modeling
Head of CAD/CAM Design
etc.

Thanks for the detail!! I really appreciate it!

[KSERGEI-BY]

Great news.

[Vector Pilot]

Originally Posted by Vector Pilot

Adrian van Hooydonk had a short but significant term transforming BMW... I too welcome Karim Habib.
Highest Regards.

Re Post: My mistake, correction, Adrian van Hooydonk remains in his position.
Highest Regards!

[JA///MES]

Don't let me down! Congrats!

[N54B30A]

hahaha no wonder lebanon is packed tight with modded bmws

[Rolitto]

I feel proud that he is from Lebanon too. Well done Karim, keep shining. ))

[ts61gogo]

Originally Posted by bmwaddict

WAIT! How about that guy who never wear a tie, but always a suit? Van... something

Most designers do not wear ties...it just does not fit to a creative job like that.

[SCOTT26]

What is highly mentionable is that the Chris Bangle legacy is now complete.
His key people or protegés if you will now head up the key instrumental areas of BMW Design.

Further proof that Bangle knew what he was accomplishing at the time.

[JerezblackM3]

Sar 3anna wasta in BMW

[sdwtchlvr]

Very cool!

[Thinkkkker]

Anyone but Chris Bangle with his 7 series "Banglebut"!