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Thomas Ingenlath Returns to Volvo as Chief Design Officer on February 1

The move signals a design-led push to define Volvo’s next generation in the EV transition.

Overview

  • Volvo confirmed Ingenlath will take office on February 1, 2026, returning to lead global design as chief design officer.
  • He previously led Volvo design from 2012 to 2017, shaping the XC90, V90 and XC40, then served as Polestar CEO until October 2024 before advising Geely on design.
  • The company cast the hire as reinforcing its design leadership, with CEO Håkan Samuelsson citing Ingenlath’s experience and vision.
  • Official accounts say he succeeds Jeremy Offer, who resigned in July 2025, while some reports note Nicholas Gronenthal served as interim and is moving to Head of Design Americas.
  • The leadership change follows softer 2025 results, with 710,042 global registrations down 7% year over year, fully electric sales down 13% to 151,830, and December up 2% with the strongest BEV month since June 2024.