(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
Chinese battery and vehicle maker BYD has opened a new global design center at the company’s headquarters in Shenzhen.
Some 300 designers will be working in the 136,000 square-foot design center.
The team is led by an elite trio of European designers that have left their marks on top brands:
Global Design Director Wolfgang Egger. Egger previously served as Chief Designer for Audi. Egger has over 30 years of experience in automotive design. During his time at Audi, he created new designs for iconic models such as the A8, Q7 and TT and oversaw the Lamborghini sub-brand. Before joining Audi, he worked at Alfa Romeo where he led the team in developing stunning designs that received worldwide acclaim.
Global Exterior Design Director JuanMa Lopez came to BYD after eight years as head of exterior design at Ferrari, where he supervised the design of the F12 Berlinetta, LaFerrari, 812 Superfast, 488 Coupe and Spider, and many others. He began his career as an industrial designer and is known for his extraordinary skills in prototyping.
And, Michele Jauch-Paganetti, who has been named Global Interior Design Director, came to BYD after serving as Head of Advanced Interior Design at Daimler AG. During his 18 years at Daimler, he led teams creating Mercedes Benz interiors ranging from the everyday luxury of the C Class to the avant-garde vision of the Maybach 6. Before joining Daimler, he spent 8 years at Volkswagen.
BYD already has design centers in Shanghai and Los Angeles, and has various designers based in Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Germany.
BYD and Berkshire Hathaway
In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $230 million has grown in value almost ten-fold, and is now worth roughly $1.96 billion.
For More on BYD, read the Special Report: BYD, Berkshire’s Tesla.
© 2019 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.