Volvo design to be led by exec from EV startup Arrival

Volvo Cars has named Jeremy Offer its global head of design.

Offer has more than 30 years’ experience as a designer, but this is his first top-level post at a global automaker, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The 55-year-old executive, who will start May 1, comes to Volvo from EV startup Arrival, where he served as senior vice president and chief design officer.

His responsibilities at the struggling delivery van and bus maker included vehicle programs, components and user experience.

He lists building "a world class multi-disciplinary design team" as one of his top achievements at Arrival, according to his LinkedIn page, which also lists him currently serving as chief design officer at investment company Kinetik.

Prior to joining Arrival, Offer was head of industrial design and part of the senior management team at global consulting firm EPAM, where he helped bring service and industrial design to their wider consulting practice, Volvo said in a release.

Offer will succeed Robin Page, 51, who will remain with the Swedish automaker as a senior advisor.

Page worked at Bentley, Bugatti and Rolls-Royce before joining Volvo in 2013. He has served as the brand's design boss since 2017, succeeding Thomas Ingenlath when he was promoted to CEO of Polestar.

Offer will join Volvo's Group Management Team, where Page currently serves.

Offer will report to Volvo CEO Jim Rowan.

The Group Management Team is a tier below the Executive Management Team in Volvo's executive hierarchy.

Offer brings "strong leadership and a wealth of design experience ranging from electric vehicles and industrial design to digital products and services -- all key as Volvo Cars transitions into a future with safe, fully electric cars, defined by their software," Rowan said in the release.

When asked in 2019 whether the person who would one day succeed him in the job would still need the classic designer skill set Page told Automotive News Europe the following: "The business now expects more than just a designer head. They certainly expect you to be capable in all the skill sets, but as you find in most industries, they also wanted you to work in clusters. ... You have got this kind of spectrum of people because to be a successful business, you need to be working cross-functionally. It's not just about design."