Revolutionary vehicle designer Peter Schreyer has been elevated to the position of president at Kia Motors Corporation.
German-born Schreyer is the first foreigner to assume the role at the South Korean company, and becomes one of three presidents at Kia in the management board headed by Hyundai-Kia Group chairman Chung Mong Koo.
The 59 year old has been responsible for overhauling the brand’s entire product line-up since moving from Volkswagen Group in 2006.
The distinctive ‘tiger nose’ grille has become a signature of Schreyer’s new designs, applied to everything from the city-sized Picanto and Rio (above) to the Sportage and Sorento SUVs, Optima and Quoris sedans and the youth-focused Soul and Cee’d hatchbacks.
Kia has enjoyed a period of unprecedented growth around the world in Schreyer’s time at the design helm, in which he has helped transform the company’s budget brand image to one of an innovator and a global challenger.
Along with taking on the new management role, Kia confirmed Schreyer will retain his position as chief design officer where he will continue to promote design-led development of the brand’s next-generation vehicles.
