Agneta Dahlgren, head of design for the new Kadjar, Megane, Scenic and Renault's electric vehicle range, has been named "Woman of the Year 2016" by the independent organisation Women and Vehicles in Europe (WAVE).
Recognised for the distinctive design of its models, the Renault team has one of the most important designers in the automotive world. Agneta Dahlgren, responsible for the design of the new Kadjar, Megane, Scenic and the company's highly successful range of electric cars, has been named "Woman of the Year 2016" by the independent organisation Women and Vehicles in Europe (WAVE).
Swedish-born Agneta Dahlgren, after studying mechanical engineering, continued her education in industrial design in France. Her first contact with Renault was in 1991, and in 2000 she took over the prototype vehicle design department, where she remained for almost a decade. Her knowledge of both mechanical engineering and design enabled her to stand out during the creation of the electric Renault ZOE, a model that dominates its class.
When Laurens van den Acker took over the leadership of Renault's design department in 2009, Dahlgren was appointed head of design for the C (small and medium) class vehicles. The new Kadjar, Megane, Scenic and the new Grand Scenic, which will be unveiled on May 24, were designed under her leadership. By combining dynamic forms with advanced technological applications, such as the application of 20-inch wheels on the new Scenic, the Dahlgren team has managed to ideally continue Renault's new design language launched in 2012 with the 4th generation Clio.
"The proportions of the new Scenic are full of emotion and redefine the MPV segment. Agneta Dahlgren has worked on the design of Renault's cars, expressing the company's identity in a perfectly natural way. The new Megane and Scenic are models that will certainly strengthen Renault significantly."
Member of the WAVE jury
Alongside Dahlgren, a number of women were instrumental in the creation of the new models, including Jeremie Sommer (exterior design), Maxime Pinol (interior design) and the head of the New Scenic project, Irina Zaretskaya. Despite the fact that the automotive world is considered a male-dominated field, Renault is convinced of the potential and quality that women can bring to both design and other parts of the company. A large percentage (in some departments exceeding 50%) of Renault's executives are women, with Dahlgren's case being the best proof of the success of this philosophy.
