Chris Bangle began his automotive career in 1981 designing interiors for Opel, GM’s European arm. Moving to Fiat Centro Stile in 1985 to head its exterior design operations, he was later named director of the Fiat Design Studio. Bangle took the helm of BMW’s design operations in 1992, consistently keeping BMW on the prestigious "Automobile Magazine’s" annual All-Star awards. In 2003, the magazine elected the BMW Z4 Design of the Year and voted Bangle its Man of the Year. As design director at BMW AG in Germany, Bangle’s controversial influence was visible in everything from the razor-edged Z8 to the 7 Series. After leaving BMW in 2009, Bangle moved to Clavesana, Italy, where he founded his multidisciplinary design consultancy and management company, Chris Bangle Associates. Serving local and high-profile projects with his signature cutting-edge with approach, the company’s diverse client and partner list includes Adidas, Samsung, Mattel and Microsoft.