26 September 2001 - Designworks/USA, the California-based design studio of the BMW Group, announced today that automotive design department director Adrian van Hooydonk has been named President of Designworks/USA. Charged with day-to-day operation and direction of the studio, he will report directly to Christopher E. Bangle, Director of Design BMW Group.

During his tenure with the company, the 37-year-old Netherlands-born van Hooydonk was responsible for the design of the exterior of the Mini ACV30 concept car shown in Monte Carlo in 1997 and at the Museum of Modern Art in 1999; the exterior of the BMW Z9 Gran Turismo shown in Frankfurt in 1999; and the exterior design of numerous upcoming BMW models.

Prior to his employment with BMW AG in 1992, he worked as an industrial designer for General Electric Plastics Europe, Bergen op Zoom, Holland, and Depro Product Design in Guastalla, Italy. Van Hooydonk earned a degree in industrial design from Delft Polytechnic University in Delft, Holland, and a degree in automotive design from Art Center Europe in Vevey, Switzerland.

Designworks/USA is a strategic design consultancy and member of the BMW Group, based in Newbury Park, California. Designworks was founded in 1972 by internationally acclaimed designer Charles Pelly and acquired by the German automaker BMW in 1995. The company specializes in the areas of automotive, transport and industrial design, and advanced communications.