[baydreamer]

Auto Inspire Interview: Seunghee Oh, Director, Exterior Design at Fisker

Women have made big strides in the automotive design world, but are noticeably absent from the most-competitive, high-visibility jobs in exterior design. Seunghee Oh is one of the few that have risen to the top.

www.wardsauto.com

Wards: What is it like going from a huge company like Ford with thousands of employees to a startup with hundreds of employees?
Oh: I think it’s the best thing ever I’ve experienced. A lot of OEMs have many layers: designer, senior designer, manager, senior manager, director of design for North America, director of global design; eight to 10 layers. Here there are just one or two layers. That really allows us to move fast. We designed the Ocean in only 24 months. That usually takes 36 to 48 months at a big OEM.

 

[Baker]

Auto Inspire Interview: Seunghee Oh, Director, Exterior Design at Fisker

Women have made big strides in the automotive design world, but are noticeably absent from the most-competitive, high-visibility jobs in exterior design. Seunghee Oh is one of the few that have risen to the top.

www.wardsauto.com

Wards: What is it like going from a huge company like Ford with thousands of employees to a startup with hundreds of employees?
Oh: I think it’s the best thing ever I’ve experienced. A lot of OEMs have many layers: designer, senior designer, manager, senior manager, director of design for North America, director of global design; eight to 10 layers. Here there are just one or two layers. That really allows us to move fast. We designed the Ocean in only 24 months. That usually takes 36 to 48 months at a big OEM.

Little team so the call on any parts of the project are taken quickly . Good!

 

[baydreamer]

Agreed! Plus it's nice to see a woman heading exterior design. So often, it seems that men do exteriors and women do interiors. Assuming that Fisker takes off, I hope that they keep their company lean and fast moving. Actually, as I typed that, I remember Henrik talking about reducing lead times. Instead of having everything in place a few years prior to production, he waits longer so that he can get newer technology. Henrik also said that's why his cars get more miles per charge than their competitors.

 

[Blu Angel]

@baydreamer.
Great story outlining Seunghee Oh's rise from design school to Hyundai, GM, Ford and now Fisker!

"Wards: You were personally recruited by Henrik Fisker. How did he discover you?

Oh: I just applied to the (Fisker) website when I was living in Michigan. I was going to California for Easter vacation. I was at the airport waiting in line to board the plane and I got an email on my phone right in front of the gate that Henrik wants to do a phone interview with me."

 

[baydreamer]

@baydreamer.
Great story outlining Seunghee Oh's rise from design school to Hyundai, GM, Ford
and now Fisker!

"Wards: You were personally recruited by Henrik Fisker. How did he discover you?

Oh: I just applied to the (Fisker) website when I was living in Michigan. I was going to California for Easter vacation. I was at the airport waiting in line to board the plane and I got an email on my phone right in front of the gate that Henrik wants to do a phone interview with me."

I was half expecting her to say that Henrik told her not to worry about what she was wearing when she talked about having to buy a suit for the interview.

 

[Blu Angel]

Seunghee Oh:
"I think it’s the best thing ever I’ve experienced. A lot of OEMs have many layers: designer, senior designer, manager, senior manager, director of design for North America, director of global design; eight to 10 layers. Here there are just one or two layers. That really allows us to move fast.

We designed the Ocean in only 24 months. That usually takes 36 to 48 months at a big OEM."