TITLE: Head of Style

COMPANY: Porsche

BASED: Weissach, Germany

AGE: 57

NATIONALITY: German

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Mauer studied automotive design in Pforzheim, Germany, before joining Mercedes-Benz, where he penned the first SLK roadster. Later he moved to Saab in Sweden, where he was in charge of design. In 2004 Mauer became head of design at Porsche. He styled the first Panamera among other models including the current iteration of the iconic 911.

REASON FOR WINNING

Demand has surged for the new Porsche 911 largely because of Mauer’s striking design. The eighth-generation model surpasses its predecessor when it comes to melding the timeless with the modern. Its new, more muscular look intentionally revives traditional Porsche elements such as the forward-extended hood. To meet a flood of orders for the new 911, Porsche was forced to shift the bulk of its Cayman production from Zuffenhausen, near Stuttgart, to another plant in Germany.