Anders Warming to replace Gert Hildebrand as Design Director at Mini

Mini is set to get a new Design Director at the start of the new year. Gert Volker Hildebrand will pass the reigns to current Head of Exterior Design at BMW Cars, Anders Warming, the German automaker announced today.

Gert Hildebrand has overseen the entire development and evolution of the Mini range since the introduction of the 'new' Mini, designed by Frank Stephenson in 2000. Under Hildebrand's tenure, the cabriolet, Clubman and Countryman have all been added to the portfolio and he oversaw the creation of two subsequent generations of the successful reinterpretation of the now iconic vehicle.

In addition to these current models, Hildebrand's team also created the Coupe and Roadster concepts that were presented at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show and are set to go on sale next year. Not only an aficionado of design whilst in the studio, 57-year-old Hildebrand has also devoted himself to encouraging young designers into the profession as well as talking about design in institutions (notably at his alma-matter, the RCA) and also to the public.

Prior to his appointment with Mini, Hildebrand worked for Mitsubishi Design Europe as chief designer, Seat Centro Tecnico as Head of Design and Volkswagen, where he worked on the exterior design of the Mk3 Golf. 

Though it is presumed that Hildebrand will go into semi-retirement, we have not been able to reach him to confirm this assumption.

With Hildebrand set to leave Mini on 31 December 2010, the new year will see 38-year-old Anders Warming take the helm in his place. Warming held various positions as an automobile designer before heading to Munich in 2005 as Team Leader of Advanced Design for the BMW Group.

In 2007, Warming took over as Head of Exterior Design at BMW, following Adrian van Hooydonk's appointment as Head of Design for the BMW Group. Under his leadership, the Z4, 5 Series and most recently, the Concept 6 Series Coupé, which was presented at the recent Paris motor show, were created.

"I would like to wish Gert Hildebrand all the best for the future and thank him for working with us so well and so successfully", said van Hooydonk. "Anders Warming has the expertise, the necessary experience and the intuition to take the Mini brand, with the support of the entire Mini design team, into an ever more successful future."

By John O'Brien