Kilbertus exits Pinin
Exclusive: Felix Kilbertus leaves Pininfarina
Felix Kilbertus is leaving Pininfarina after two years as chief creative officer. Kilbertus, who previously led exterior design at Rolls-Royce, departs following a period of diversification and global expansion for the storied Italian design house
Pininfarina has confirmed that chief creative officer Felix Kilbertus has stepped down from his role, marking the end of a significant chapter for the Italian design house.
Kilbertus, who joined the company in 2023 from Rolls-Royce was brought in to unify Pininfarina’s creative output across automotive and industrial design, while also strengthening the company’s global identity. His arrival was seen as a statement of intent by Pininfarina, bringing in a designer with an international résumé spanning BMW, Fiat, Nissan, Renault, and most recently Rolls-Royce, where he led exterior design.
Kilbertus was also lead designer at Pininfarina from 2011 to 2014. Among many projects, he led the design process, and was responsible for the exterior styling of the BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé concept presented at Villa D’Este 2013.
The studio, founded in 1930 by Battista “Pinin” Farina, has long been synonymous with Italian automotive elegance, but in recent years has diversified into architecture, product design, and mobility services. Kilbertus’s multidisciplinary approach was seen as a strong fit for this wider strategy.
Pininfarina has not yet announced a successor and Kilbertus’ departure raises questions about the next phase of Pininfarina’s design leadership. His exit marks the second major leadership change at Pininfarina in recent years following the exit of Kevin Rice in December 2022.
