HYUNDAI Motor Company has appointed Eduardo Ramírez as its new chief designer of Hyundai Design Europe.

The company said he will lead the Hyundai Design Europe Centre and “reinforce Hyundai’s design competitiveness in the fast-changing global automotive industry to provide ‘customer-centric design innovation’ and a unique customer experience that sets Hyundai apart”.

After graduating from Coventry University and Royal College of Art, Mr Ramírez started his career as an exterior designer at Audi and later at General Motors.

Eduardo Ramire

He joined the Hyundai Design Europe Centre in 2007 and has been responsible for key design projects for the European market such as i10, Kona, Bayon and Santa Fe.

Mr Ramírez said: “I believe in the power of design to signal ways forward and I am committed to inspire and empower our designers to think boldly and deliver the answers that will spark the emotions of our customers in the future.”

Hyundai Genesis Global Design executive vice president SangYup Lee, said: “I look forward to witnessing a stronger and fresher Hyundai Design Europe under Eduardo.

“He is the perfect fit to the position as he understands the design direction of Hyundai which prioritises customer values, and he is the one to realise design that can satisfy different types of customers’ lifestyles while valuing Hyundai’s heritage.”

Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre (HMETC) in Russelsheim am Main, Germany is Hyundai Motor Group’s sole research and development centre in Europe.

It says it has more than 400 highly qualified employees who work on developing sustainable, people-focused mobility solutions for all car brands in the group.

The purpose of the HMETC is to make sure that every Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis that comes to Europe meets the demanding standards of the continent’s customers and is adapted to the needs of that specific market.