Moray Callum

Moray Callum, born on November 19, 1958, in Dumfries, Scotland, is a renowned automobile designer who made significant contributions to the design world during his career, particularly in his roles at Ford Motor Company and Mazda. Callum, the younger brother of Ian Callum, Jaguar’s Design Director from 1999 to 2019, initially had aspirations of becoming a veterinarian but pivoted toward design during his university years. He studied architecture at Napier University in Edinburgh, only to shift to industrial design after becoming disillusioned with the monotonous aspects of architecture. He later completed a master’s degree in transportation design at the prestigious Royal College of Art in London.

Callum’s automotive career began in 1982 at Chrysler, after which he moved to PSA Peugeot Citroën’s advanced design studio in Poissy, France. His early contributions to vehicle design included the development of passenger and commercial vehicles. By the late 1980s, Callum joined Ghia as a consultant designer, where he worked on projects like the 1989 Ghia Via concept and the Aston Martin Lagonda Vignale, as well as contributing to Jaguar’s design consultancy.

In 1995, Callum joined Ford, where he played an integral role in shaping the designs of several North American models, including the 2000 Ford Taurus facelift, the Ford Windstar, and the Super Duty pickup trucks. His designs for these vehicles marked his early impact at Ford. However, it was his tenure at Mazda that truly solidified his reputation as a visionary designer. Callum led Mazda’s global design from 2001, overseeing the revitalization of the brand’s image. He succeeded in transforming Mazda into a dynamic, sporty brand, known for vehicles like the 2006 Mazda5, the 2007 CX-7 and CX-9 crossovers, and the redesigned Mazda MX-5 in 2005.

After his successful stint at Mazda, Callum returned to Ford in 2006 as Design Director for North American passenger cars, working under Peter Horbury. By 2009, he was promoted to executive director of Ford Americas design, responsible for overseeing American trucks and passenger cars, including Lincoln. Callum’s designs during this time included the 2011 Ford Explorer, 2013 Ford Fusion, and the 2013 Lincoln MKZ.

In 2014, Callum was appointed vice president of design at Ford Motor Company, succeeding J Mays. He was responsible for overseeing global design for Ford and Lincoln brands, where he introduced key models such as the 2015 Ford Mustang and the 2017 Ford GT. Moray Callum retired from Ford in May 2021 after an illustrious career, leaving a legacy of impactful designs that shaped the automotive world for decades.