Anthony Lo to take up new challenge as Ford Motor VP of Design
Congratulations to Anthony Lo, our Outstanding Alumnus 2013, for his new challenge at the Ford Motor Company as VP of Design!
From the press release of Ford:
Lo will join Ford in the midst of an ambitious plan to turn around and grow its automotive business, with continued design of must-have vehicles.
“Our industry is evolving more rapidly than ever, and Ford will win the trust of customers by staying on the leading edge of that curve,” said Thai-Tang. “Anthony is a world-class design leader with an exemplary global track record. We’re excited to have him lead our Design organization as we accelerate the creation of connected, intelligent and increasingly electrified products.”
Born in Hong Kong, Lo got his initial break in the auto industry in 1987, when a professor at the Royal College of Art in London where he studied offered him a position at Lotus Cars in England. There, Lo designed the distinctive Lotus Carlton, the world’s fastest car of its type at the time.
Lo said recently that his familiarity with Ford began as a young adult on the streets of Hong Kong, where the brand has and maintains a strong presence. Later, he discovered the popularity of Ford in England and Continental Europe, “where it’s like a national brand.” He added that models such as the Sierra RS Cosworth, “with its imposing floating rear spoiler and track-racing pedigree to match,” made a lasting impression on him.
"With the speed of evolving technologies and expectations, I believe cars will change more in the next decade than they have in the last century,” said Lo. “Leading this change at Ford is a dream job for any car designer, and we’re going to embrace this era with open minds, ingenuity and breakthrough design solutions.”
At Renault in Paris for the past 10 years, Lo was instrumental in development of the company’s “Cycle of Life” design strategy. That approach was the basis for a series of award-winning concept cars, such as the Dezir, Captur, R-Space, Frendzy, Twin’Z, Twin’Run and Trezor. Lo and his team implemented the strategy in Renault’s all-new global lineup of cars and SUVs.
Among production vehicles about which Lo is most proud are the second-generation of the Renault Captur, which built on the success of the original model with features like a wider track, distinctive lighting signature and more expressive body sides, and the Dacia Duster 2, delivering on its low-cost objective without compromising attractiveness.
Lo joined Saab in in 2000. From 2004 to 2010, Lo was director of Advanced Design for General Motors Europe, overseeing Saab, Opel and Vauxhall projects. Earlier, Lo was with Mercedes-Benz in Japan, working on the company’s Maybach concept and S-Class vehicles, as well as Audi in Germany.
In addition to a master’s degree in Automotive Design from RCA, Lo holds a higher diploma in Industrial Design from Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Read full press release
