Pininfarina adds product-development director

Starting on Dec. 1, Andrea Maria Benedetto will serve as Italian car-design firm Pininfarina S.p.A.'s product-development director.

Benedetto, who last served as the vice president of body and chassis function in the research and development division of Toyota Motor Europe, will organize engineering and R&D activities. This includes the research, development and production of electric vehicles.

Benedetto will report to Silvio Pietro Angori, Pininfarina CEO.

The addition of Benedetto comes as a result of the expansion of the Pininfarina Design and Engineering Center.

“We decided to make the development area even more competitive; a crucial role in the profitable growth of a company that acts as a global partner for OEMs and others,” Angori said. “We did it bringing into the team one of the most qualified resources that the market could offer.”

Angori noted that Benedetto's expansive international experience will allow Pininfarina to intensify and accelerate its business plan.

By Izzi Bendall