Despite leaving the industry to form his own design studio in 2009, designer Chris Bangle remains one of the most influential and controversial figures in automotive design. Beginning his career at Opel in Germany in 1981, Bangle progressed to Fiat before joining BMW as chief of design in 1999 – the first American to hold the position. Among the many models Bangle designed during his time at the German marque was the Z9 concept. Since founding his own studio, Chris Bangle Associates, the designer has worked with a variety of clients, including Hennessy and Swarovski and has also created short animated film.