World Car
Person of the Year

2026 World Car Person of the Year

Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management, BMW

Oliver Zipse has led BMW AG as Chairman of the Board of Management since August 2019, guiding one of the world’s most respected premium automotive groups through a period of profound technological and strategic transformation. Zipse joined BMW in 1991 and has spent his entire professional career within the company, gaining deep operational experience across development, production and corporate strategy. His tenure at the top will shortly be drawing to a close, but he will leave having overseen the launch of the BMW Neue Klasse range of vehicles, marking the biggest technical transformation of the brand in its history.

With an academic background spanning computer science, mathematics and mechanical engineering, Zipse is known for combining engineering rigour with long-term strategic thinking. Prior to becoming Chairman, he held senior leadership roles including Head of Production and Managing Director of BMW’s Oxford plant in the UK. Under his leadership, BMW has pursued a technology-open approach to electrification, digitalisation and sustainability, while maintaining a strong focus on brand identity and profitability. Zipse’s steady, engineering-led leadership has helped shape BMW’s direction in a rapidly evolving global automotive landscape.

2025 World Car Person of the Year

Stella Li, Executive Vice-President of BYD

As Executive Vice President and the global number two at BYD, Li has been a key figure in the company’s rise since 1996. BYD has grown into one of the world’s largest automakers in less than 30 years and in 2024, the company celebrated an impressive milestone: its 10-millionth new energy vehicle.

Li is the driving force behind BYD’s strategic planning and global expansion, which achieved new heights in 2024. Her vision drives both innovation and accessibility. A standout achievement is the brand-new high-speed electric motor in the BYD Sealion 7. This revolutionary motor, the world’s fastest mass-produced electric engine, combines powerful acceleration and top speeds with a single-speed transmission, reaching 23,000 RPM - outpacing even Formula 1 standards. BYD brings this cutting-edge technology to market at an affordable price, revolutionizing accessibility.

Under Li’s leadership, 2024 was a year of groundbreaking achievements for BYD. Her influence will continue shaping the global automotive industry and advancing a greener future.

2024 World Car Person of the Year

Adrian Newey, OBE, Red Bull Racing

As Chief Technical Officer of Red Bull Racing, aerodynamicist Adrian Newey is the designer and driving force behind the RB19, the most dominant race car in the history of Formula One. It won 21 of 22 races in 2023, enabling Red Bull’s sixth and Max Verstappen’s third World Championships and establishing the design concept to be pursued by most of its competitors. After 35 years in Formula 1 and more than 200 victories for cars of his design, Newey is at the absolute peak of his spectacular career, with no end in sight.

2023 World Car Person of the Year

SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Hyundai and Genesis Global Design Center, Hyundai Motor Company

SangYup Lee was born on November 22, 1969, in South Korea. After studying Transportation Design at the ACCD(Art Center College of Design)(1995–1999), he started his career in Porsche and Pininfarina in 1998. He has an extraordinary career with his extensive experience working at different automotive companies as a Chief Designer. Before he joined Hyundai in 2016, he was the Chief of Exterior and Advanced Design in Bentley, Chief Designer in Volkswagen Group, and Design Manager in GM. He is a designer of world-renowned cars such as Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, Bentley Bentayga, Mulsanne, Flying Spur, and EXP 10 Concept. He currently works for Hyundai Motor Company as the Head of Hyundai & Genesis Global Design Center, and he is now putting his effort to improve design value of these two brands. The results of his effort has been presented to the public in recent years, which are 45 Concept, Prophecy Concept, X Concept, Elantra, IONIQ 5, G90, GV80, GV70, GV60 etc. He declared new design philosophy of “Sensuous Sportiness” for Hyundai and “Athletic Elegance” for Genesis. He emphasizes building innovation upon Hyundai’s design heritage while establishing new identity of Genesis design. With a strong vision for Hyundai & Genesis design, he plans to expand product design portfolio of the brands.

2022 World Car Person of the Year

Luc Donckerwolke, Executive Vice President for Design and Chief Creative Officer, Hyundai Motor Group

2021 World Car Person of the Year

Akio Toyoda, President and CEO, Toyota Motor Corporation

2020 World Car Person of the Year

Carlos Tavares, CEO of PSA Group

2019 World Car Person of the Year

Sergio Marchionne, CEO, FCA; Chairman, CNH Industrial; and Chairman and CEO, Ferrari

2018 World Car Person of the Year

Håkan Samuelsson, President and CEO, Volvo Car Group (inaugural winner)