BMW has lost another design expert, leaving several senior design positions vacant

Recently, according to European Automotive News, a person familiar with the matter revealed that BMW's design director Karim Habib will leave the company.

Karim Habib, 46, has been in charge of BMW brand design since 2012, reporting directly to Adrian van Hooydonk, senior vice president of BMW Design. Karim Habib joined BMW in 1998, but was poached by Mercedes-Benz from 2008 to 2010 and worked there for a short time. In March 2011, Karim Habib returned to BMW and was appointed as BMW's new design director in 2012. During his tenure at BMW, he led the design of a series of important BMW models, including the exterior of the F017 series, the future concept car, the new 5 series and 7 series, and the BMW City Concept Sedan.

Karim Habib was born in Lebanon and immigrated to Canada at an early age. He obtained a bachelor's degree in automotive design from McGill University in Montreal. He then studied at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, which is considered the most prestigious automotive design department in the United States, and joined the BMW Group in 1998.

The BMW Group has not confirmed the news of Karim Haabi's departure, nor has there been any news on who Karim Haabi's next employer will be.

Two important members of the BMW design team have already left. Karim Habib's departure has undoubtedly worsened the dramatic changes in BMW's design department. Anders Warming, the design director of the Mini brand, has moved to Borgward, and Benoit Jacob, the design director of the BMW i brand, has joined NIO. Both positions are currently vacant. BMW only has Giles Taylor, the design director of Rolls-Royce, who reports to Hoydonk.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.