Change at the top. Oliver Heilmer takes the helm at Designworks.

Munich/Los Angeles. On 1 August, Oliver Heilmer will
step into the role of President of Designworks, a wholly owned
subsidiary of the BMW Group. This will see him move from the Interior
Design team at BMW Automobiles in Munich, which he has headed up since
2013, to Designworks’ Los Angeles HQ. Designworks is a creative
consultancy working across multiple industries and focusing on
mobility, product and user experience design, as well as on strategic
brand and design consultancy. Taking over the top job at Designworks
means Heilmer will be responsible for the company’s strategy, oversee
the studios in North America, Europe and Asia, and therefore spearhead
the management of all the design teams. Heilmer takes the baton from
Laurenz Schaffer, who has been President of Designworks since 2009 and
is now switching to a management role at BMW Group Design.

 

About Designworks

Designworks was established in 1972 in Malibu, California. It is a
creative agency synonymous with innovations created through
cross-industry and interdisciplinary knowledge sharing. With its
diversified service portfolio, it is a source of inspiration not just
for the BMW Group’s brands, but also for companies from a whole
variety of industries, ranging from IT and consumer electronics
through aircraft technology and the medical and environmental sectors
to lifestyle and sport. Besides the headquarters in California, two
more studios in Munich and Shanghai also serve the global market under
the umbrella of Designworks. The Designworks team is made up of 130
employees in total. They originate from 25 nations and include
designers, modellers, engineers, design strategists, interface, colour
and material specialists, and experts and consultants in the field of sustainability.