Exclusive: Oliver Samson leaves Changan
Oliver Samson, global design director of Changan’s Shenlan/Deepal brand, has left the company
Car Design News understands that Oliver Samson has left Chinese car brand Changan. Samson joined the brand as head of innovation design in January 2022 and was based at the Turin studio. He was promoted to global design director Shenlan/Deepal in April the following year.
Changan spoke to CDN only to confirm that Samson was no longer with the company while Samson himself confirmed he had left but would not be drawn on further details or where he was heading to next. The designer spoke recently at Car Design News’ design conference at IAA Munich about how the new generation of designers was thinking in bold new ways.
A Pforzheim graduate, Samson worked at Daimler for 12 years before a 3-year stint at Nio in Munich.
News of Samson’s departure follows the recent appointment of former VW Group design boss Klaus Zyciora as vice president and global head of design for Changan – a role overseeing various brands including Changan Auto (SUVs and cars), Qiyuan and Shenlan (premium EVs) and Oshan (SUVs and MPVs).