Former Mini design chief given Rolls-Royce job

Rolls-Royce will once again have a director of design.

The brand has been without a design chief since Jozef Kaban left in October 2019, after just six months in charge, to head up the Volkswagen brand’s design studios.

After a year-and-a-half in design limbo, Rolls-Royce has appointed Anders Warming to replace Mr Kaban.

The Copenhagen native has a degree from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

After graduating in 1996 he worked as an automotive designer at the BMW Designworks studios in the California.

After a stint at Volkswagen he returned to BMW in 2005, eventually becoming the head of exterior design for the BMW brand in 2007.

During this period the overall design tone was set by Chris Bangle, and Warming’s credits include the exterior of the original Z4, 2003 Gina concept, and 2009 Vision Efficient Dynamics.

He also oversaw the development of the 2009 X1, 2010 X3, 2010 5 Series, the 2011 1 Series, 2012 6 Series, and 2013 X5.

In 2011 he was promoted to head of design for Mini, with the third-generation hatch, 2015 cabrio, 2015 Clubman, and 2017 Countryman all designed under his guidance.

The 2016 Mini Vision Next 100, and well-received 2011 Rocketman concept were done under his leadership.

Mr Warming left Mini at the end of 2016 to become the design chief for Borgward, a revived German brand financed by Chinese money. During his time in charge he penned the Isabella concept.

After leaving Borgward at the end of 2018, Mr Warming started a design consultancy based in Munich.