Poissy, France: Stellantis has appointed Indian automotive designer Sandeep Bhambra as Head of Design for Citroën and DS Automobiles, effective November 2, 2026, placing him in charge of the creative direction of two of the group’s European brands. The appointment forms part of a broader leadership reshuffle across Stellantis’ European design operations, involving senior executives at Citroën, DS Automobiles, Opel and Vauxhall.
Bhambra, who has worked with Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Peugeot and Renault during a career spanning more than two decades, will report directly to Gilles Vidal, Head of Design for Stellantis’ European brands. He will also join the management teams of Citroën and DS Automobiles, both led by CEO Xavier Chardon.
The appointment brings two distinct French automotive brands under a single design leader at a time when manufacturers face increasing pressure to establish recognisable identities in a rapidly changing industry.
Stellantis Announces Wider European Design Leadership Changes
Bhambra succeeds Pierre Leclercq as Head of Design at Citroën and Thierry Metroz in the corresponding role at DS Automobiles.
Leclercq will move to Opel and Vauxhall as Head of Design, replacing Mark Adams, who is retiring. Meanwhile, Metroz will take on a new responsibility supporting Gilles Vidal in developing the group’s European design strategy.
The changes redistribute several important creative responsibilities within Stellantis, which oversees a diverse portfolio of automotive brands competing across different market segments.
Commenting on the appointment, Xavier Chardon, CEO of Citroën and DS Automobiles, said:
“The arrival of Sandeep Bhambra marks a new step in our ambition to strengthen the identity and appeal of our brands. His experience, creativity and vision of Design will be valuable assets in supporting Citroën and DS Automobiles in expressing strong and distinctive identities, true to their heritage while firmly looking to the future.”
Chardon also acknowledged Leclercq’s contribution to Citroën, crediting his work on several important projects that helped reinforce the brand’s distinctive character.
Gilles Vidal, Head of Design, Stellantis European Brands, similarly welcomed the appointment, highlighting Bhambra’s combination of creative experience, product development expertise and strategic design capabilities.
Vidal also thanked Leclercq and Metroz for their contributions to Citroën and DS Automobiles, respectively, as both executives transition into their new responsibilities.
From Mahindra and Tata Motors to European Automotive Design
Bhambra’s career reflects an international journey through several major automotive design organisations, beginning in India before expanding into the European automotive industry.
A Mechanical Engineering graduate of the University of Pune, India, Bhambra subsequently earned a Master’s degree in Transportation Design from Strate in France.
He began his automotive career in 2003 at Mahindra & Mahindra in India, before moving into design roles at Tata Technologies and Tata Motors, working across India and the United Kingdom.
His early professional experience provided exposure to vehicle engineering and automotive design before he transitioned into major European design studios.
In 2010, Bhambra joined Peugeot Design in Vélizy, France, as an Exterior Designer, beginning a decade-long association with the French manufacturer.
During his time at Peugeot, he contributed to several production vehicles, concept cars and advanced design programmes.
His portfolio included the second-generation Peugeot 2008 and 5008, the Peugeot Onyx concept and early development work for the third-generation Peugeot 3008. He also contributed to the Citroën Ami, the compact electric mobility vehicle.
These assignments covered everything from mainstream family vehicles to experimental concepts, giving Bhambra experience across considerably different design requirements.
Renault Years Brought Concept Cars and Future Mobility Projects
In 2021, Bhambra joined Renault Group as Chief Designer, Advanced Design & Concept Cars, taking responsibility for projects exploring the company’s future design direction.
At Renault, he helped define design strategy and led several prominent concept and advanced design programmes.
Among these were the Renault Scénic Vision, Emblème, R17 Ora Ito and Estafette Concept, alongside the Twingo 4, Filante Record 2025, Bridger, R-Space Lab and the limited-series R5 Turbo 3E project.
The assignments demonstrated his experience in combining production-oriented vehicle development with more experimental approaches to automotive styling.
In 2025, Bhambra additionally assumed responsibility for the Renault India Design Studio while retaining his position as Chief Designer, Advanced Design & Concept Cars.
His work has earned several industry recognitions, including a Red Dot Design Award for the Peugeot 2008 in 2020. Other projects associated with his career, including the Peugeot Onyx, Renault R5 Turbo 3E and Twingo 4, have also received multiple design awards.
Return to Stellantis Sets Up a Larger Creative Responsibility
Bhambra returned to Stellantis in April 2026 as Vice President Design Strategy Europe, placing him within the group’s senior European design leadership.
His latest appointment, effective November 2, expands that responsibility from regional design strategy to directly overseeing the design operations of Citroën and DS Automobiles.
The two brands occupy different positions within the automotive market. Citroën has traditionally emphasised comfort, practicality and unconventional design, while DS Automobiles has sought to establish a more premium identity rooted in French craftsmanship and distinctive styling.
Maintaining those separate personalities under one design leader will be an important part of Bhambra’s new assignment.
The challenge is not simply to produce attractive vehicles. It is to ensure that a Citroën remains unmistakably a Citroën, while a DS communicates an identity of its own — preferably without requiring customers to inspect the badge.
His background across mass-market vehicles, premium-oriented designs, electric mobility concepts and experimental automotive projects offers experience relevant to both responsibilities.
A Significant Appointment for Stellantis’ European Brands
The leadership changes arrive as automotive manufacturers continue to rethink vehicle design around electrification, emerging technologies, changing customer expectations and increasingly competitive global markets.
For Citroën and DS Automobiles, the appointment presents an opportunity to develop future vehicles while maintaining the individual characteristics that distinguish the two brands.
For Bhambra, it represents another milestone in a career that began at Mahindra & Mahindra in India in 2003 and has since taken him through some of Europe’s prominent automotive design studios.
Ultimately, the significance of the reshuffle will be measured less by executive appointments and more by the vehicles that emerge from their studios. With Bhambra now responsible for two distinctly different French brands, Stellantis is placing considerable importance on design leadership as it shapes its next generation of products.
