Exec Shuffling Continues At Swedish Automaker
Jeremy Offer has resigned from the role of global head of design for Volvo, reports Car Design News. In a statement to that outlet, Volvo said Offer left voluntarily to spend more time with his family. It’s the latest executive shakeup at the Swedish automaker, which is grappling with the effects of Trump Administration tariffs.
“Jeremy Offer has decided to step down from this role as head of design for Volvo Cars to prioritize spending more time with family and reduce travel between Sweden and the U.K. Nicholas Gronenthal, currently head of automotive design at Volvo Cars, will step into the role as head of design in an interim capacity.”
Familiar Faces Return
Volvo
Offer joined Volvo in 2023 from failed EV startup Arrival as a key hire of then CEO Jim Rowan, Car Design News notes. Rowan himself resigned as Volvo CEO in March, after pushing a software-centric approach that so far has proven to be a headache for the automaker. The EX90 electric SUV, the first vehicle to fully implement this approach, was delayed by software issues, and then shipped without many features enabled.
To replace Rowan, Volvo coaxed retired CEO Håkan Samuelsson out of retirement. As Car Design News notes, Samuelsson may have also been instrumental in bringing back Thomas Ingenlath, the former CEO of Polestar, in a design advisory role for Volvo parent Geely. Ingenlath worked under Samuelsson as Volvo design head before being placed at Polestar by Samuelsson. Ingenlath resigned from the Polestar CEO role last year amid poor financial performance by the spinoff brand.
That doesn’t mean Ingenlath will be running Volvo design again, though. A Geely Europe spokesperson told Car Design News that Ingenlath’s new gig is as an advisor only, and that he will “assist and counsel” the design departments of the various Geely brands, which remain independent. Unlike other automotive conglomerates such as General Motors, Geely does not have a unified design department.
Struggles For Volvo
Volvo
Volvo in particular has struggled with Trump’s tariffs, and the threat of reciprocal tariffs from Europe. Earlier this month the automaker announced that it would cut its U.S. lineup for the 2026 model year to focus on the most-popular crossovers, while also bringing production of the XC60 to the U.S. this came after layoffs and the seeming termination of the cheapest version of the EX30. Samuelsson said in June that selling the EV at its original $34,950 base price in the U.S. was “almost impossible” now.
Volvo reported 12% drop in retail sales for the second quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, but claimed that layoffs and spending cuts were starting to show results. The automaker also noted that it’s completed investments in the next-generation architecture that will underpin the EX60, ES90, and other future models.