A designer of unquestionable talent, with a childlike passion for the automobile and a strong, determined character, Walter De Silva has become synonymous with excellence in the automotive world, earning five “Car of the Year” awards, as well as the prestigious Compasso d’Oro for his career, in recognition of his exceptional ability.

He began his career in 1972 at Fiat SpA in Turin at the Centro Stile and continued with the Rodolfo Bonetto studio in Milan, where he worked on car interiors. From 1979 to 1986, he was called by Franco Mantegazza and Renzo Piano to lead the design
department at IDEA Institute. In 1986, he joined Alfa Romeo as Director of the Centro Stile. In 1999, he was appointed Head of Design at SEAT. He was later entrusted with leading the Audi Group’s design (Audi, SEAT, Lamborghini), where he redefined the
identity of the four rings through an emotional and elegant design language. This period marks the affirmation of his “less is more” philosophy—based on purity of form and balanced proportions.

On January 1, 2007, he became Head of Design for the Volkswagen Group, overseeing 12 brands: Audi, Volkswagen, SEAT, Škoda, and in the luxury sector, Porsche, Bugatti, Bentley, Lamborghini, as well as Ducati and the commercial vehicle brands
Scania, MAN, and Volkswagen Commercial. It was an immense challenge in terms of complexity, organization, and synergy.

De Silva’s work focused on defining design criteria for each brand and harmonizing German engineering with Italian aesthetic
sensibility.

He ended his career at the Volkswagen Group in December 2015.

In 2019, he founded Walter De Silva Automotive, his independent design studio. The studio offers high- level consultancy in car design, concept development, and brand identity. Active in projects within and beyond Italy’s Motor Valley, Walter De Silva Automotive stands out for its tailored approach to design—rooted in timeless elegance, formal clarity, and a coherent, forward-looking vision of modern mobility.