09.02.2004 KEN OKUYAMA RETURNS TO PININFARINA AFTER A STINT AT THE ART CENTER COLLEGE IN PASADENA

Starting from May 10, Ken Okuyama will take on the role of Creative Director of Pininfarina S.p.A. reporting directly to Executive Vice President Design Lorenzo Ramaciotti. It’s represents the return to the Company of a designer who has given an important personal contribution to numerous successful projects during his stay at Pininfarina.

For the last four years, Ken Okuyama has been Chair of the Transportation Design Department at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, one of the most prestigious institutes in the world and a leader in design education. Since leaving Pininfarina in 2000, Ken Okuyama has widened his knowledge of the automotive international world, and built relationships with a new generation of designers and strengthening his managing abilities. The Italian company sees itself at the forefront of car design worldwide and the return of the highly respected Japanese designer represents something of a coup.

Okuyama graduated at the Musashino Art Center in Japan, before going on to hold senior design positions at Porsche and GM, as well as his first stint at Pininfarina. While at the Italian design firm his contributions included the 600bhp 6.0-litre V12 Ferrari Enzo supercar, the most pure transfer F1 technology to road application see so far, the stylish Ferrari Rossa concept, the new Maserati Quattroporte super luxury executive saloon and the attractive Alfa Romeo Spider.

His international education and deep knowledge of Pininfarina and its esthetical philosophy assure the continuity of the Pininfarina style in a more and more global scenario still remaining careful of the specificity of esthetical characters and culture.