• Stellantis appoints Scott Krugger to the newly created position of head of design for North America.
The role of a designer within a brand is often overlooked. Yet, the person responsible for guiding the styling of a company's models can transform its destiny.
Consider Peter Schreyer's tenure at Audi, then later at Kia. He alone influenced the trajectory of those companies. At Stellantis, Ralph Gilles, who grew up in Montreal, made a name for himself with the design of the Chrysler 300 in 2005. Today, he is Chief Design Officer for the multinational auto giant.
Stellantis has now created a new position under Gilles, that of head of design for North America, and appointed Scott Krugger to it.
Scott Krugger will be responsible for the oversight, creative direction, and design strategy for the North American brands Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram. He will report to Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa, in his capacity as Chief Operating Officer for North America, and to Chief Design Officer Ralph Gilles.
With this appointment, Ralph Gilles' new design organization continues to take shape. On July 25, the automaker appointed Gilles Vidal Head of Design for its European brands starting October 1, replacing Jean-Pierre Ploue.
Stellantis says the moves are “calibrated to efficiently combine global expertise across Stellantis’ portfolio of 14 iconic vehicle brands, with strong regional autonomy to ensure continued alignment with local customer needs.”
Under the new structure, Gilles, who also reports to Antonio Filosa, will focus on global design strategy and projects and work closely with the company's regional design heads on the strategic direction of each of its brands, while encouraging collaboration between regions.
Krugger has been with the company since 2001. He was most recently responsible for all aspects of exterior design for Dodge and Dodge/SRT brand cars and utility vehicles in North America, after having spent five years leading design for Alfa Romeo, Jeep, and user experience within the company's design studio for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.