Clay Dean, a long-time General Motors design and strategy director, has left the car making giant to become Under Armour’s Chief Innovation Officer. Dean will be based out of the company’s global headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland, and will report to Kevin Haley, Under Armour’s president of category management and innovation.
As Chief Innovation Officer, Dean will be responsible for driving Under Armour’s global vision and strategy for innovation and cross-functional collaboration with the company’s internal design, marketing, product and category management teams.
This remit is not something that will be foreign to him. Dean’s experience in liaising between design and marketing and developing a cohesive product and brand strategy plan while influencing communications events, activities and product technologies will likely serve him well in his new role.
In his most recent capacity as Global Design Director for GM Advanced Design, he was chiefly responsible for implementing advanced design strategies and overseeing the development of future mobility concepts.
Clay Dean with the Cadillac Ciel concept, Pebble Beach 2011
Dean sought out innovative product visions, mobility services and new emerging technology opportunities and organized all of GM’s global advanced design studios and activities and also collaborated on athletic footwear projects with major brands.
“Clay brings a unique perspective to Under Armour and deep roots in design, manufacturing and innovation that will be critical in guiding how we make and deliver products now and in the future,” said Haley.
Prior to becoming design director for GM Advanced Design, Dean was director of Cadillac Brand Design, overseeing exterior and interior design as well as the brand’s concept strategy. He was also responsible for the design direction of GMs Small and Mid-Sized products, leading the teams that developed the 2008 Chevy Malibu, 2009 Buick LaCrosse and 2009 Solstice Coupe. He graduated with BFA degree in Industrial Design from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
We wish Dean the very best in his new role.
