Stellantis has lured away Gilles Vidal, design chief at Renault, from its main French competitor. As head of design, Vidal will oversee the future design steps for all the European brands, including LCVs, at Stellantis.
The move, announced last Friday, is a homecoming for Vidal, who spent 25 years as a designer at Citroën and Peugeot, most recently as head of design at Peugeot from 2010 to 2020. Five years ago, Vidal made the opposite move, becoming head of design at Renault.
Vidal replaces long-time design boss Jean-Pierre Ploué, who will leave Stellantis, the automaker said in a news release. He will report to Jean-Philippe Imparato, Chief Operating Officer for Enlarged Europe at Stellantis, upon starting in his new position on October 1.
A Citroën guy
Vidal moved to Renault in late 2020. The Renault Scenic and Renault 5/Alpine A290 won European Car of the Year while he was head of design for the Renault Group.
Also at Renault, you could see the influence of its long-time association with Citroën and Peugeot, as evident in the front design of, for example, a current Renault Scenic and a Peugeot 3008.
“His deep understanding of European automotive culture and his forward-thinking design philosophy will be essential as we continue to redefine mobility and strengthen the identity of our European brands,” Jean-Philippe Imparato said in the release.
European brands
At Stellantis, Vidal will oversee design across a diverse array of brands, including mainstream Fiat and Citroën, as well as premium Alfa Romeo and luxury Maserati.
“Gilles’ experience will be critical for Stellantis. He is a first-class design expert whose vehicles have been awarded European Car of the Year five times over the past decade,” added Ralph Gilles, Stellantis Chief Design Officer.
“Gilles will build on the outstanding work carried out by Jean-Pierre Ploué, whom I salute for contributing to the revival and development of many of our brands and products,” he added.
Finally, Gilles Vidal stated: “As I join Stellantis back, I am enthusiastic to return to my roots. In a world where technology and design should walk hand in hand to transform customer experience, I am excited about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. I look forward to tackling them by working closely with Jean-Philippe, Ralph, and their teams.”
