People moves at Audi China
Exclusive: Sophie Li to lead Audi China design
Former Volvo Asia Pacific design chief Sophie Li will head up Audi China from 1 December
Audi has appointed Sophie Li as head of its China design studio, replacing Eduard Ollefers, who has stepped down from the position. Li confirmed the appointment to Car Design News and will officially take up her as Head of Design China new role on 1 December 2026.
Li was previously head of Asia Pacific Design at Volvo Cars, where she led the company's Shanghai design studio. She joined Volvo in April 2021 following more than a decade at Jaguar Land Rover, and was subsequently appointed to lead the regional design operation. Meanwhile, Armin Hobrücker has been promoted to lead the Swedish brand's design studio.
During Li's time at Volvo, the Shanghai studio became an increasingly important part of the carmaker's global design network, working alongside its operations in Gothenburg and California.
Among the studio's projects was the multiple award-winning Volvo XC70. Li's team also contributed to the design of the EM90, Volvo's first fully electric premium MPV, developed with the Chinese market in mind.
Before joining Volvo, Li worked on several projects at Jaguar Land Rover, including the Defender and Range Rover, and helped establish the British carmaker's first satellite design studio in Shanghai.
She succeeds Eduard Ollefers, who moved to China in 2022 following a lengthy career at Audi, including leadership positions in interior design, user experience and seating.
Ollefers has overseen a multinational design team responsible for advanced and production design, UI/UX and colour and materials across local Audi programmes and selected global projects. His remit has included work for both the traditional four-ring Audi brand and the China-specific AUDI brand.
The appointment comes as Audi seeks to strengthen its position in the Chinese market, where established premium manufacturers face growing competition from domestic brands. Alongside its existing operations, Audi has expanded its partnership with SAIC to develop a separate AUDI brand specifically for China, with vehicles designed around the requirements of local customers.
