Title: Chief Design Officer, Renault Group
Year of birth: 1965
Studies: University of Technology in Delft (Netherlands)
Born in 1965, Laurens van den Acker graduated from the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands with a Master of Science in Industrial Design.
He started his career as an automotive designer in 1993. His career path led him successively to Audi in Germany, Ford in the United States and Mazda in Japan, making him a recognized figure in his field.
In 2009, he was appointed to lead the Design department of Renault Group and its portfolio of brands (Renault, Dacia and Renault Samsung Motors). His priority will be to build a strong and coherent Renault range. He laid the foundations for a more emotional design and made the brand's models identifiable at first glance through a strong visual identity.
He set out his vision through six concept cars, which are now iconic, such as DeZir and TreZor. At the same time, he set the design direction for production cars and, with his teams, renewed the entire range from 2012. The fourth generation of Clio and Captur are the spearheads of this new strategy. As a result of this work, in 2016, design became the primary reason for purchasing Renault brand products.
Laurens van den Acker modernizes the Dacia range, giving birth to the second generation of Duster and the last two generations of Sandero, with the commercial success that we know.
He also ensures the rebirth of Alpine, with the A110, and supports the constitution of a real range of vehicles for the brand.
Many recent vehicles and projects are signed by Laurens van den Acker, such as the Renault Mégane E-Tech Electric, the R5 Prototype, the Dacia Bigster Concept or the Mobilize EZ-1 Prototype.
In 2021, Renault Group transforms itself and adopts a brand organization. With Laurens van den Acker as Chief Design Officer, Renault Group, Renault Group is overseeing a renewed Design department, centered around four brand design studios: Renault, Dacia, Alpine and Mobilize. The studios are supported by cross-functional departments: UX-UI Design, Experience Design and Design Operations.
He oversees five design centers around the world (France, Romania, India, Brazil and Korea) that use some of the most advanced digital design, virtual and augmented reality tools.
Laurens van den Acker's personal awards include among others FAI, Autocar, GQ France and Automotive News.
Laurens van den Acker is a member of the Renault Group Leadership Team.