Lynk & Co names Shanghai design studio chief
Nicki Kwee returns to Lynk & Co, this time to lead the new Shanghai design studio, and he tells Car Design News more about the move
Lynk & Co has named an experienced designer to take the helm of its recently revealed Shanghai studio. Nicki Kwee will be head of design, reporting to head of creative design Ivo Groen (who in turn reports to senior design VP Stefan Rosén).
It will be Kwee’s second stint at Lynk & Co, having worked at the Gothenburg studio between 2017 and 2021 as head of interior design, before taking a new gig as chief interior designer at Nio Shanghai. And it is interior design where Kwee has built most of his experience over the years, which could be particularly useful at a time where there has arguably been no greater focus on the cockpit and user experience. Kwee speaks fondly of Shanghai, describing his home of the last few years as “a hub of innovation.”
“We established this studio to get closer and discover unique insights from the Chinese market,” Kwee told Car Design News. “Our studio consists of a small international team located in the dynamic atmosphere of central Shanghai. Our aim is to ensure the continued success of Lynk & Co in the future.”
Kwee graduated from the College for Creative Studies with a degree in fine arts and industrial design, working as an intern at Ford and eventually in his first full-time gig as a designer, working on the Fiesta in Cologne, Germany and the Focus hatchback in Dearborn under the tutelage of Jean-Pierre Ploué. He would go on to work at Nissan and Inifiniti before a lengthy 14-year spell at Renault between 2001 and 2015, credited with the interior for the 2014 Twingo. He then moved to Gaydon for a new role with JLR, leading the advanced interior design team for what would become the 2022 Range Rover.
In a statement, Lynk & Co described Kwee as “a formidable leader in the automotive design landscape” and that, through his leadership, “the Shanghai studio is ready to be part of forward-thinking design solutions.” The brand will certainly need that as it looks to distance itself from sister nameplate Zeekr.
There has been change at Lynk & Co elsewhere, with David Beasley leaving for Changan in Japan at the start of the year and CEO Alain Visser stepping down to pursue other opportunities.