Shiro Nakamura

Shiro Nakamura

Shiro Nakamura
Born October 1950
Osaka, Japan
Alma mater Musashino Art University, Tokyo and Art Center College of Design. Pasadena, CA
Occupation Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer of Nissan
Employer Nissan

Shiro Nakamura (born October 1950) is a Japanese car designer and company executive. Nakamura serves as Senior Vice President of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. Since 2006, Nakamura has been Nissan's Chief Creative Officer.[1] He is Chief Creative Officer of Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun.[2] Known as a hands-on creative, he goes by the nickname "Fingers".[3]

Biography

Early life

Nakamura was born in October 1950 in Osaka, Japan.[2]

Education and academic achievements

Nakamura holds a Bachelor of Arts in industrial design from the Musashino Art University in Tokyo, Japan, along with a Bachelor of Science with distinction in Transportation Design from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.[2]

Career

When Carlos Ghosn took charge of Nissan in 1999, he brought in Nakamura from Isuzu to lead the design part pf Nissan's revival.[4] According to the Forum for Corporate Communications in Tokyo, Nakamura "immediately exerted leadership in driving the design team to create distinctive and innovative designs based on Japanese traditional aesthetics and contemporary culture." Iconic cars, such as the Nissan Cube, Fairlady Z, GT-R, Murano, Juke and LEAF as well as Infiniti M, FX and Essence were created under Nakamura's guidance.[5]

At Isuzu, Nakamura held various senior level positions, and was responsible for the design of models such as VehiCROSS and Gemini. In 1985, Nakamura joined General Motors and worked at the Advanced Design Studio in Michigan.[6]

Recognitions

Nakamura has received many awards for his work, among them the 2010 EyesOn Design Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2003, he was introduced into the Automotive News All Stars, Design. Nakamura was named by FastCompany Magazine the world's 4th most creative person of 2010, behind Lady Gaga, Eddy Cue, and Elizabeth Warren. He was the only car designer on that list.[2][3] In 2014, Nakamura received the Art Center's Lifetime Achievement Alumni Award.[6] In 2015, Nakamura was declared the winner of the "Grand Prix du Design" at the International Automobile Festival in Paris.[7]

Hobbies

Nakamura plays the cello.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Executive Profile Shiro Nakamura". Businessweek. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "EXECUTIVE BIOGRAPHY SHIRO NAKAMURA Senior Vice President, Chief Creative Officer (CCO), Nissan Motor Company Limited and INFINITI". Infiniti Europe. 25 August 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Most Creative People 2010". FastConmpany. 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  4. ↑ "Nissan raids Isuzu ranks for new head of design". Automotive News; 10/25/1999, Vol. 74 Issue 5845, p. 80. 1999. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  5. ↑ "Shiro Nakamura, Nissan & Design Philosophy". Forum for Corporate Communications. 27 January 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Shiro Nakamura". Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "MShiro Nakamura, Nissan’s Senior Vice President of Design and Chief Creative Officer, honoured at the International Automobile Festival in Paris". 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.

External links