FCA Moves Klaus Busse to Lead Design for European Brands

Klaus Busse, the designer behind several of Chrysler’s recent interior successes, has been appointed chief of design for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Europe, Middle East and Africa operations. The move is part of a wider management shakeup at FCA, with Busse set to oversee design for Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Abarth brands.

Busse, 45, returns to Europe after a decade in the United States, where he led the transformation of interiors across Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram. He will now report to Ralph Gilles, FCA’s global design boss, and work alongside Alfredo Altavilla, who heads the EMEA region. Busse’s new responsibilities place him at the centre of FCA’s efforts to reshape its European brands as the company seeks to sharpen its product identity and appeal.

A decade in Detroit and a return to Europe

Busse joined the then DaimlerChrysler operation in Auburn Hills in 2005, remaining through the group’s split from Daimler, Chrysler’s bankruptcy and the subsequent Fiat takeover. He played a key role in updating the interiors of key models during a period when Chrysler’s product quality and design were under scrutiny. His move back to Europe comes as FCA looks to inject new energy into its Italian brands, with Alfa Romeo and Maserati both in the midst of model renewal plans.