- OUTGOING VICE PRESIDENT MARK ADAMS GOING FORWARD IN CHARGE OF CADILLAC AND BUICK DESIGN.
- GM’S GLOBAL DESIGN ORGANIZATION TO BE MORE BRAND-FOCUSED, STRONGER ADVANCED DESIGN CAPABILITIES.
Rüsselsheim / Warren, Mich. – Effective August 1, 2012, David Lyon will become the new Vice President, Design, for GM Europe, effectively becoming the new design chief for Opel/Vauxhall. Lyon (43) succeeds Mark Adams who has been named Executive Director, Global Cadillac and Buick Design. David Lyon will be based in Rüsselsheim while Mark Adams will be located in Warren, Michigan. Both will report to GM Vice President, Global Design, Ed Welburn.
Karl-Friedrich Stracke, Opel/Vauxhall CEO, commented: “David Lyon is a proven and inspired Design leader. I am excited that he will join the Opel/Vauxhall leadership team. At the same time, I am grateful for the tremendous work that Mark Adams has done in transforming our Opel/Vauxhall language into the highly-successful and much-acclaimed theme of ‘Sculptural artistry meets German precision’. I wish him all the best for his new responsibilities within GM.»
The successful current Opel/Vauxhall design direction started under Adams with the 2009 European Car of the Year, the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, and was continued in many other successful products such as Meriva, Astra, Ampera, Zafira Tourer and most recently the highly-emotional Astra GTC.
Currently, Lyon is executive director, North American Interiors/Global Cross Brand Design, and Brand Champion for Buick and GMC. Lyon’s extensive design experience includes interiors and exteriors for both production and concepts for Chevrolet, Buick, Holden, GMC and Cadillac. His portfolio of production and concept vehicles includes the Buick Enclave (which began the brand’s resurgence), LaCrosse, Verano and Riviera concepts; as well as the ground-breaking Chevrolet Volt extended range electric vehicle, Corvette, Cadillac CTS, Escalade and Silverado, to name a few.
As customers demand more information delivery into the vehicle, Lyon has spearheaded a new generation of contemporary interiors and ground-breaking solutions for human interaction with a car’s electronics such as Cadillac User Experience (CUE), Chevrolet MyLink and Buick/GMC IntelliLink to create a more connected driving experience.
Other pivotal assignments have included executive director, GM Asia Pacific Design, where from 2004 to 2007 he led teams in Korea, China and Australia to develop iconic new vehicles for Chevrolet, including its small-car trifecta of Cruze, Sonic and Spark, as well as the Buick LaCrosse and advanced concepts for Chevrolet, Buick and Holden. Before that, he was executive director of Design, Body on Frame Architectures, for three brand studios.
These moves are part of a revised organizational structure that will allow the GM Design organization to be even more closely aligned to the company’s brands at its network of ten Design Centers around the world.
“This new structure provides a foundation to build and grow the design language for each of our brands moving forward,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president for Global Design. “It gives our design teams a greater opportunity to create products and brands that have an emotional connection with our customers, and that continue to move our company forward.”
The revised structure also places an added emphasis on GM’s Advanced Design Centers, which are strategically located in the United States, Germany, Korea, China and Australia.
“Strengthening our Advanced Design organization will allow us to help the company develop innovative new technologies and strategies to meet the future transportation needs of the global marketplace,” added Welburn. “One thing is clear – success will require a variety of mobility solutions that are striking both in their execution and their efficiency.”
In addition to the new positions for Lyon and Adams, today’s announcement involves a number of other appointments including the following moves:
Ken Parkinson, currently executive director, North American Exterior Design/Global Architecture Strategy and Chevrolet “Brand Champion,” is appointed executive director, Global Chevrolet and GMC Design.
Clay Dean, currently director – North American Advanced Design and Cadillac “Brand Champion,” is appointed to the new position of director – Global Advanced Design. Dean will serve as the lead integrator and coordinator of all Advanced Design activity around the world.
Text by: Clásicos al Volante.
