Amko Leenarts appointed director: design, Ford of Europe

Amko Leenarts

Role

Leenarts will be responsible for the exterior and interior design of vehicles developed by Ford of Europe, including small cars and crossover utility vehicles, and models for global markets. Leenarts will lead a team of more than 275 employees at Ford Design Studios in Merkenich, Germany, and at the company’s Dunton Technical Centre in Essex, U.K.

The company's Merkenich Design Studio was the subject of a recent €13m investment programme, including upgrades to design and clay modelling workshops; offices; and a €3.5m investment in state-of-the-art 3D milling technology.

“It’s a very exciting time for our design teams. More and more, we’re studying how our customers interact with their vehicles, and we’re looking to create designs that can actually make people’s lives better,” Leenarts said. “We’ll never stop trying to create designs that excite and help people to have an even more emotional connection with the Ford brand.”

History

Leenarts graduated from the Academy of Arts in Groningen, Netherlands, with a degree in interior architecture. With a passion for car design, he went on to study at the Royal College of Art in London, graduating with a Master’s degree in vehicle design. He will report to Moray Callum, vice president: design, Ford Motor Company.

“As Ford shapes the future of transportation, design will be the crucial differentiator,” Callum said. “Amko will help us define new products that innovate while harnessing our global design talent to deliver truly world-class products.”