Born in the German state of Bavaria, Stefan Sielaff studied at the Design College in his hometown of Munich, followed by a sponsorship to the world-famous Royal College of Art in London, United Kingdom. He then spent the next 35 years of his career in automotive design, beginning with Audi from 1990-2002, followed by a three-year stint as the Head of Interior Design for Mercedes-Benz, returning to Audi in 2006 as Design Director. He served under Walter de Silver in global design for the VW Group from 2013-2015, after which he was appointed Bentley Design Director, a position he held until 2021 before taking up his current role at Geely and Zeekr.
Having worked alongside some of the industry’s most well-respected designers, Stefan Sielaff cites legendary Walter de Silva and Peter Schreier as the most inspirational. Now inducted into the DESIGNBEST Hall of Fame, Stefan Sielaff joins the ranks of other great automotive designers recognised with this accolade, including Walter de Silva, Luc Donckerwolke, and the late Peter Horbury.