Pininfarina announces new senior appointments in Shanghai. Signals increased commitment to Greater China market.
In a move indicating a major increase in its presence and commitment to the Greater China market, Pininfarina SpA has announced the appointment of two senior executives in its Shanghai office.
Pininfarina CEO, Silvio Angori, announced the appointment of Li Hanqing as General Manager of Pininfarina Shanghai and Matteo Fioravanti as Senior Vice President Design, both effective from 1st November 2023.
In welcoming Hanqing and Fioravanti to Pininfarina, Angori said: “These two senior leadership appointments signify our confidence in the continued growth in demand for our services in the Greater China market. Pininfarina Shanghai is the leading design studio in China offering a broad spectrum of design services, from automotive to architecture as well as luxury lifestyle products. The considerable experience and creativity of Li and Matteo will position our Shanghai operation to further develop these offerings across the dynamically expanding landscape in Greater China.”
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Li Hanqing brings to the role of General Manager, Shanghai, a decade of experience in industries of primary importance to Pininfarina. Significantly, he also has a deep understanding of Pininfarina’s Italian context, having graduated from the Politecnico di Torino, just a few kilometers from Pininfarina’s global headquarters in Cambiano, Italy. Li will drive business expansion and the increased commitment of Pininfarina to the Greater China market. His extensive background in business and design includes key leadership positions at companies, such as Technicon Design Asia, where he served as Managing Director, and Segula Technologies, where he excelled as the China Regional Sales Director & Branch Manager.
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Matteo Fioravanti joins the Pininfarina Shanghai team with a wealth of design experience in both Italy and China. As Senior Vice President Design he will beresponsible for the expansion and continued innovation of Pininfarina’s creative offerings in China. Over the past two decades, Matteo has held various roles within the automotive design company, Fioravanti srl, culminating in his appointment as Design Director. From May 2018 to the present, he has significantly expanded his experience within the China market as the Design Director at Technicon Design, Shanghai. He brings experience, market understanding and Italian flair to his new role with Pininfarina Shanghai.
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Pininfarina Chief Creative Officer, Felix Kilbertus said: “Design is at the very heart of our business. It is what draws our clients to Pininfarina as they seek to define and differentiate stand-out products in a crowded marketplace. Our expertise and experience, together with our track record of successful design projects across various sectors speaks for itself. Pininfarina offers its clients a distinct advantage, enhancing prestige and recognition to the perceived value of their products through exceptional design. Our global reach and networks facilitate broad market access and world-wide connections, critical in expanding the presence of our clients’ products. Pininfarina Shanghai is an unrivalled leader in doing just this for our valued Chinese clients.”
In 1996, Pininfarina SpA became the first Italian design house to provide design and engineering services to the automotive industry in China. A permanent office and design studio in Shanghai followed in 2010. Since then, Pininfarina Shanghai has developed into a strategic design and development center for the entire Asian automotive market, but with a concentrated focus on the Chinese marketplace.
Today, Pininfarina Shanghai’s esteemed Chinese clientele includes the top 10 OEMs and several emerging EV manufacturers. The studio adds value and supports Chinese automakers throughout the entire design process, from the development of brand strategy, concept sketches and design language definition to the creation of concept cars and design prototypes.
Recently, Pininfarina Shanghai has significantly expanded its scope into the fields of architecture and luxury product design, working with many prominent Chinese brands to establish their global presence. Among its most recent projects is the Blue Loop masterplan for an exciting new city in the Yangtze River delta area, near Shanghai.
Pininfarina’s unwavering commitment to the Greater China market was honored with the Italian Excellence prize at the 2022 China Awards, recognizing companies that exemplify the characteristics of Made in Italy while maintaining a strong and profitable relationship with China.