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NISSAN ANNOUNCES SENIOR MANAGEMENT CHANGES AT NISSAN DESIGN AMERICAS and NISSAN DESIGN EUROPE

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (March 11, 2010) – Nissan today announced changes in leadership at Nissan Design America and Nissan Design Europe. Alfonso Albaisa, currently vice president, Design, Nissan Design Europe, will return to NDA as vice president.

Albaisa succeeds Bruce Campbell, vice president, Design, NDA, and Victor Nacif, vice president, Design Business Aspect, NDA.

Campbell, a 30-year veteran with Nissan, will retire from NDA and become an advisor to Nissan’s Global Design Division. Nacif will become vice president, Nissan Design Europe, succeeding Albaisa.

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Even More Moves: General manager mazda Design laurens van den Acker Leaves on April 10

Fresh on the heels of the news of Steve Mattin leaving Volvo for an as yet unknown destination, being replaced by his Volvo Predecessor Peter Horbury, who in turn will be replaced within Ford by Moray Callum (Pheeewww. what a lot of info in one sentence), comes word that Mazda’s General manager Design Division Laurens van den Acker will leave his function within Mazda on April 10.

We spoke with Laurens who said that he had a fantastic time at Mazda working with a superb team, and that further anouncements would be made on April 10.

Stay tuned!

More Moves: Peter Horbury leaves Ford back to Volvo and will be replaced by Moray Callum

Ford Motor Company today announced key changes to bolster vehicle design leadership at both Volvo Cars and Ford’s Americas operations.

Peter Horbury executive director, Ford Americas design, will return to Volvo as vice president, design, based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Horbury will replace Stephen Mattin, who has left Volvo to pursue other opportunities. Moray Callum, currently director of design for cars, Ford Americas, will replace Horbury as executive director, Ford Americas design in Dearborn. Both appointments are effective May 1.
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Volvo’s Head of Design Steve Mattin Resigns

Volvo’s award-winning design director, Steve Mattin, has left the company. U.K.-born Mattin has been Volvo’s design director since May of 2005 and was instrumental in creating designs like the C30, XC60, and most recently, the S60 Concept from Detroit. Mattin joined the Swedish automaker after coming over from (then) DaimlerChrysler, where he was employed for 17 years. Mattin left DCX as the company’s senior design manager after having a hand in vehicles as wide-ranging as the SL, SLK, SLR, R-Class, M-Class, and the Maybach line.

The departure could signal a wave of changes at Volvo as Ford ramps up the intensity of its push to sell the brand. Despite serious talks with a number of potential buyers, however, Ford has released nothing indicating a sale is imminent. News of Mattin’s exit from Volvo comes from Sweden’s GP, which quotes Mattin, shortly after being hired on at Volvo in May 2005, as saying he would “stay [at Volvo] for the rest of my life.” That sort of talk doesn’t lend itself to an easy change in career path, especially immediately after an 18-year stint at Mercedes-Benz.

But perhaps the change-up is just another in the cycle of designer exits that has swept the industry in the past several months. Chris Bangle, BMW’s famous, or to some eyes, infamous, designer for most of the last decade, left the industry altogether. Karim Habib, also from BMW, defected to Mercedes-Benz just a few weeks ago.

Even among the purely design-focused companies there have been changes, including the switch from Pininfarina to Stile Bertone by modern legend Jason Castriota. So perhaps Mattin’s departure from Volvo is just a normal part of business in a depressed economy. But it could also be a hint at worse times to come.

Barack Obama becomes 44th president

By Steve Holland and Caren Bohan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Barack Obama became the first black U.S. president on Tuesday, making history before a sea of people and declaring the United States in the midst of a crisis that can be defeated with a united sense of purpose.

“Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real,” Obama said in his inaugural speech shortly after taking the oath of office. “They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.”

Hundreds of thousands of people erupted in roars of approval on the broad National Mall grounds as they watched Obama stand with one hand raised, one hand on a Bible used to swear in Abraham Lincoln in 1861, and repeat the brief oath to become the 44th U.S. president and succeed George W. Bush.

The inauguration of Obama, 47, the son of a black Kenyan father and a white mother from Kansas, was steeped in symbolic meaning for African-Americans, who for generations suffered slavery and then racial segregation that made them second-class citizens.

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Chrysler in asset sale talks, but Renault denies

By Poornima Gupta and Pascale Denis

DETROIT/PARIS (Reuters) – Struggling U.S. automaker Chrysler is in talks to sell assets to Renault-Nissan and parts supplier Magna, sources with knowledge of the discussions have told Reuters, though the French automaker Wednesday denied such talks were under way.

The third-largest U.S. automaker is under pressure to restructure after accepting $4 billion in U.S. government loans as slowing economies and tight financing shrink global demand for vehicles.

Renault and Japan’s Nissan, in which the French firm owns a 44-percent controlling stake, had some contact with Chrysler about a sale of all or parts of the U.S. automaker before the U.S. government stepped in to bail out Chrysler and General Motors Corp in December.

Talks gathered momentum in recent weeks and have included discussions about a deal to sell Chrysler’s iconic Jeep brand, three people with knowledge of the talks told Reuters.

Chrysler announced an alliance with Nissan last April and has had a long relationship with Magna. It bought automaker AMC including the Jeep brand from Renault in 1987.

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Chrysler in talks with Renault, Magna: sources

By Poornima Gupta, Soyoung Kim and Kevin Krolicki

DETROIT (Reuters) – Chrysler is in talks to sell key assets to Renault-Nissan and auto supplier Magna as it rushes to restructure after taking $4 billion in U.S. government loans, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

The string of potential deals would deepen ties between Chrysler LLC and two of its key current partners but could also mark the end of the struggling No. 3 U.S. automaker as an independent venture.

Renault-Nissan and Chrysler, which is owned by Cerberus Capital Management, had some contact about a sale of all or parts of the U.S. automaker last year before the U.S. government stepped in to bail out Chrysler and General Motors Corp in December.

The present round of talks with Renault-Nissan gathered momentum in recent weeks and has included discussions about a deal to sell Chrysler’s iconic Jeep brand, according to three people with knowledge of the talks.

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Hyundai’s U.S. design chief Joel Piaskowski resigns

LOS ANGELES — Joel Piaskowski, the chief designer for Hyundai Motor America, is resigning after six years at the company. Hyundai spokesman Chris Hosford said he didn’t know what Piaskowski’s plans are after he leaves at the end of the month.

Piaskowski, 40, was named Hyundai’s chief designer in January 2003. He was the primary designer of the new Genesis luxury coupe, which arrives in showrooms next spring. He also worked on Hyundai’s HCD concepts, which are sporty, SUV-type vehicles. Piaskowski joined Hyundai from General Motors, where he spent 12 years working on Chevrolet, Pontiac and Buick brands. He also spent one year at the Opel design center in Ruesselsheim.

An Open Letter From Chrysler’s Bob Nardelli

To Chrysler employees and other stakeholders:

We have received news that U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson will provide $4 billion of initial funding to Chrysler LLC from the TARP (Troubled Assets Relief Program) as a loan to help bridge the current financial crisis. We appreciate the Administration’s confidence in Chrysler.

As outlined in our submission to Congress, we intend to be accountable for this loan, including meeting the specific requirements set forth by the government, and will continue to implement our plan for long-term viability. The receipt of this loan means Chrysler can continue to pursue its vision to build the fuel-efficient, high-quality cars and trucks people want to buy, will enjoy driving and will want to buy again.

For Chrysler to succeed in its mission to return to profitability, we need the continued support of our many business partners. Terms associated with the bridge loan include Chrysler’s commitment to work with key constituents – including our owners, lenders, suppliers, dealers, management and employees – to identify and achieve the cost-savings concessions we need to build a long-term viable enterprise. These concessions discussions will happen quickly, as a full governmental review and approval of our plan is expected by March 31, 2009.
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