Auto Design

According to an official press release issued today, the French designer Marc Girard, 38-year has been appointed head of the Interior Design department at BMW Automobiles, effective April 1. Marc Girard joined the BMW Group Design organisation 15 years ago. His most recent position was as team leader at Interior Design BMW Automobiles. From 2004 through 2006 he has been head of Interior Design for the MINI brand and responsible, among several projects, for the interior styling of the MINI Clubman.

Marc Girard joined BMW in March 1993, after completion of training and studies in Paris and in the USA. Through the firstyears 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.

Marc Girard says that an enthusiastic approach is the most important factor for his creative work: “Interior design offers customers control, protection and a feeling of security”, he says. Girard commented the promotion by saying: “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.”
Marc Girard will succeed the long-time head of Interior Design, Michael Ninic, who died suddenly last year.

From left: the late Michael Ninic, Adrian van Hooydonk and Anders Warming, Head of exterior design.

Since then, Adrian van Hooydonk, until recently head of Design BMW Automobiles and now director of BMW Group Design, has administered that task “ad interim”. In his opinion “Marc Girard has 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 Interior Design team of BMW Automobiles into a successful future.”

Adrian van Hooydonk took this opportunity to stress that “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.”

After being appointed head of MINI Interior Design, Girard devoted his time to the MINI Clubman.

In 2006 he left Mini to jointhe 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.”