British luxury performance brand McLaren Automotive has announced the appointment of Nissan’s top designer David Woodhouse as its new creative chief, the automaker announced in an Aug. 12 post on LinkedIn.
Woodhouse will join its executive team and will drive “creative excellence and consistency across every expression of the McLaren brand,” the company said in a statement.
His influence will also extend beyond product and include oversight across brand, environments and experiences.
“I’m really excited to be joining McLaren Automotive! A dream come true!” Woodhouse commented on company’s LinkedIn post.
Woodhouse is the second former Ford Motor Co. designer poached by McLaren following the hiring of Mustang designer Kemal Curic, announced in April.
Woodhouse will be working closely with Curic, who continues to lead vehicle design, and Henrik Wilhelmsmeyer, who retains responsibility for brand and marketing execution, the company said in a statement on its consumer magazine website.
“The opportunity to help shape and elevate every aspect of how the McLaren brand is expressed, from our products and spaces to our communications and experiences, is incredibly compelling,” said Woodhouse.
Woodhouse joined Nissan Design America in 2019 as vice president, and led all Nissan and Infiniti design activities in North America, as well as serving on the company’s global design management committee. Before that, he worked as design director from 2013 for Ford’s luxury brand Lincoln.
His career also included stints with several premium global brands, including Mini, Cadillac, Range Rover and BMW.
