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 headquarter. 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 consulting. 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.