Ford has named Joel Piaskowski (pictured above) as its new director, Design, Ford of Europe.

Piaskowski, 45, replaces Martin Smith, 64, who led Ford of Europe’s design group for the past 10 years. Smith elected to work on a global project studying the future direction of Ford design, working closely with Moray Callum, vice president, Design, Ford, until his retirement at year end.

Smith (pictured below) joined Ford in 2004 from General Motors Europe and led the development of a new exterior design language for Ford of Europe that came to be known as “kinetic design”.

Kinetic design ultimately led to the creation of Ford models including the first generation S-MAX and Kuga, fourth generation Mondeo and second generation C-MAX  – as well as influencing the design of the current models of Focus and Fiesta sold around the world. Smith also directed the creation of a number of important Ford concept vehicles, including the Iosis, Iosis X, Iosis MAX, Verve, Evos and, most recently, the S-MAX Concept.

Succeeding Smith is Joel Piaskowski, currently head of Ford’s Strategic Concepts Group in the U.S. He will lead the design of all concept and production vehicles in Europe and support Ford’s global design initiatives. Piaskowski will have a dual reporting relationship to Moray Callum and Joe Bakaj, vice president, Product Development, Ford of Europe.

Piaskowski was born in Michigan and graduated in 1990 from the College of Creative Studies in Detroit with a bachelor of fine arts specialising in transportation design. He joined Ford in 2010 as director, Exterior Design, The Americas, and has led the team in the creation of several vehicles, including the recently revealed all-new Ford Mustang and Ford F150 pick-up truck.

In January 2013, Piaskowski was appointed director of Design, Ford Asia Pacific, based in Ford’s Asia Pacific Design Centre in Melbourne, Australia, and more recently, he returned to Dearborn, Michigan, to oversee Ford’s advanced design studios globally.

Prior to joining Ford, Piaskowski was president of Mercedes’ advanced design centre in California from 2009 to 2010, and previously served for six years as director of design for Hyundai in the U.S. He started his career at General Motors in 1990, working for more than 12 years on exterior and interior designs for several brands.

Source: Ford

Tags: car design, car designer, College of Creative Studies, Ford, Ford of Europe, General Motors, Hyundai, Joe Bakaj, Joel Piaskowski, kinetic design, Martin Smith, Mercedes, Moray Callum, transportation design