Alfa Romeo hires design director to help lead brand’s ‘modernization’

MILAN — Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, former design chief at Volkswagen’s Spanish brand Seat, has been appointed head of design at Alfa Romeo, as the Italian brand undergoes a reboot under Stellantis group. 

After leaving Seat in 2020, Mesonero-Romanos briefly served as design director at Renault’s budget brand Dacia under Renault CEO Luca de Meo, whom he had reported to at Seat. He left that job in April. 

The news that he would take over at Alfa Romeo was first reported by Auto & Design magazine. It was confirmed by Alfa Romeo in a news release on Tuesday. 

Mesonero-Romanos will start in his new post on July 1. He will report to Jean-Pierre Ploue, one of two chief design officers at Stellantis, along with Ralph Gilles.

Mesonero-Romanos will “focus on a refresh at Alfa Romeo, by leading the electrification and modernization process at an iconic brand that has reaped legendary victories over its 110-year history,” the news release said.

Mesonero-Romanos, 53, is a Spanish national. He studied at the Royal College of Art, London and started as a junior designer at Seat in 1994. In 2001 he moved to Renault Group, where he spent 10 years, including a stint in South Korea at Renault Samsung Motors.

In 2011 he returned to Spain to become design director at Seat, where his designs for the Leon, Ibiza and Arona helped bring about the brand’s renaissance under de Meo. He also contributed to the launch of the sporty Cupra sub-brand with the Tavascan and Formentor.