Marc Girard - New Head of BMW Interior Design

38-year-old Marc Girard from France is to take up the post as head of the Interior Design department at BMW Automobiles commencing 1 April 2009.

Marc Girard has worked as a designer for the BMW Group for 15 years now. His most recent position was as team leader at Interior Design BMW Automobiles. From 2004 to 2006 he was head of Interior Design for the MINI brand and responsible, inter alia, for the interior styling of the MINI Clubman.

Marc Girard names enthusiasm as the most important incentive for his creative work: “Interior design offers customers control, protection and a feeling of security. I am pleased to be able to assume this responsibility and to create this crucial interface within the development process together with the entire BMW Interior Design team.”

The designer will succeed the long-time head of Interior Design, Michael Ninic, who died suddenly last year. Since then, the then head of Design BMW Automobiles and current director of BMW Group Design, Adrian van Hooydonk, has administered this task provisionally and in addition to his other duties. “During his time with the BMW Group, Marc Girard consistently demonstrated his ability to understand and press ahead not only with his business but also BMW’s design philosophy.

His many years of experience, his team spirit and his power to convince will lead the team and the work of Interior Design BMW Automobiles into a successful future,” Adrian van Hooydonk comments. The BMW brand will offer its customers an interior that features a combination of optimum ergonomics and dynamics as well as subtle details and materials. The new 7 Series and the Z4 are already proof of this.”

In March 1993, after completion of training and studies in Paris and in the USA, Marc Girard joined BMW, where during the following years he assumed responsibility, inter alia, as project manager in the lifestyle, prototypes and advanced design sectors, both for exterior and interior design. From 2000 to 2002 he developed the interior design for the BMW 1 Series, the first vehicle of the brand to enter the compact segment. Following this, Marc Girad became a member of the team of designers responsible for the development of the second-generation MINI. After being appointed head of MINI Interior Design, he devoted his time to the MINI Clubman. In 2006 he joined the BMW Interior Design team.

Marc Girard lives in Munich with his wife and two children. He regards the design process as an interplay between creative people, as a close relationship and collegiality that produces optimum results. “I am grateful for the trust that has been placed in me and for the great chance,” says Marc Girard. “My passion for the automobile and my many years of experience provide me with confidence for the forthcoming challenges.”

[Source: BMW AG ]