Ford Has Designs on Soho Model

Ford's global design chief is quitting America to base himself in an office in Soho, London.

"London is the world capital of culture and style," enthuses J Mays, who has been with Ford since 1997 and now assumes the title chief creative officer. "It is ground zero for media creativity. There is more going on in media design and graphic design there. I hope to add more creative spark to the brands by looking at these areas."

Mays, who does not admit to a first name, is also leaving the company headquarters in Michigan so he can spend more time with the outposts of the Ford family: Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo.

Ironically, although Mays, 50 and from Kansas, will still have overall responsibility for Ford's North American products, their design is now directed by a Brit - Peter Horbury, who shaped the current Volvos.

The design directors of three of Ford's European operations are also British: Ian Callum (Jaguar), Geoff Upex (Land Rover) and Martin Smith (Ford of Europe).

Mays says: "Together we are working on the design direction for the next decade for each of the individual brands." Most urgent and important is to find a new look for Jaguar, which is losing sales in America.

Mays hasn't suddenly discovered that London is the centre of creativity. He established Ingeni, an advanced design studio that opened in