Kia Adds Ex-BMW, Great Wall Designer

Kia Motors Corp. has hired Pierre Leclercq, who most recently led Great Wall Motor Co.’s design efforts, as head of styling.

In the newly created position, the Belgian-born Leclercq is charged with shaping Kia’s long-term design strategy and consistency across the brand’s expanding lineup. He also is expected to help grow Kia’s sales in China, the company’s largest national market. Kia sales there plummeted more than 40% in the first half of 2017 because of rising competition from Chinese domestic brands, a shortage of SUV/crossovers in its lineup and continuing political tension between China and South Korea.

Due to join Kia later this month, Leclercq will be based at the carmaker’s design headquarters in Namyang, Korea. He will work with Kia design center chief Youn Seon-ho and Peter Schreyer, who heads parent Hyundai Motor Group's design team. Leclercq’s appointment comes three months after Hyundai hired Simon Loasby, former director of Volkswagen Group China, as its China design head.

A graduate of the Art Center College of Design in California, Leclercq has worked with several carmakers. His experience includes assignments in China, Europe and the U.S.

Leclercq joined China’s Great Wall in 2013 as head designer. His credits there include the revamped Haval H6 SUV, which was introduced in April at the Shanghai auto show. He previously was chief designer for BMW's high-performance M division, where he led the styling of the M3 and M4 high-performance sedans and X5M and X6M SUVs.