Kia Corporation (Kia) has been honored at the 2024 Car Design Award ceremony, receiving the prestigious accolade for ‘Brand Design Language’.

As part of its much lauded brand relaunch, Kia unveiled its revolutionary new design philosophy, ‘Opposites United,’ in 2021. The design philosophy harnesses three energies - tension, harmony, and dynamism - to create fresh perspectives and develop new ideas inspired by the contradicting forces experienced in daily life.

Kia has been recognized for communicating consistent design directions by launching differentiated product designs under the ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy. In line with its vision to provide sustainable mobility solutions, the philosophy consolidates the design ideas and customer value throughout the Kia’s market-leading vehicles.

“With its Opposite United philosophy, Kia design has taken a non-conformist approach with the aim of inducing change, unafraid of taking risks. Unexpected at first sight, Kia’s new models break the mould with long-established aesthetic parameters to introduce a totally new and modern formal language. A relentless innovation to establish a new identity,” the juries of Car Design Award 2024 stated.

Among the Kia’s new vehicles that have recently been honored for their excellent design, EV9 won two of the world’s top three automobile awards, including the ‘2024 World Car of the Year’ and the ‘2024 North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year’. Kia also won the iF Design Awards with EV9 taking prestigious Gold.

“Embracing the spirit of Opposites United, Kia Design tries to harness the power of design to shape a future of mobility that is both innovative and sustainable; one that tries to make people’s lives easier and better,” said Karim Habib, Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design.

“This award is a recognition of the motivation and dedication of countless members of our global team who are driven to impact the industry with relevant and meaningful design. We are thankful that we are a brand that recognizes the profound influence that design can have, as we prioritize sustainable, user-centered design,” Karim said.

Since its inception in the 1980s, the Car Design Award has served as global recognition for the design teams responsible for the best concept cars, production vehicles, and overall design language on offer. The jury, comprised of journalists from internationally renowned automotive and design magazines, selects only 10 production car and 10 concept car projects from the past year, as well as the design language of just five brands, for consideration as finalists.

The winners of the 2024 Car Design Award were announced at a ceremony in on at the ADI Design Museum in Milan during this year’s Milan Design Week. Head of Kia Global Design and Executive Vice President, Karim Habib, attended the ceremony on behalf of Kia Design to receive the award.

During Milan Design Week, from April 15 to 21, Kia is presenting a Design Cultural Communication Project inspired by its Opposites United design philosophy.

First Bank of Nigeria has appointed Olusegun Alebiosu as its acting managing director with effect from April 2024.

The Bank stated this in a release signed by its acting company secretary Adewale Arogundade.

Alebiosu takes from Adesola Adeduntan, who gave up the role abruptly on Saturday even though he was due to complete his tenure in December 2024.

The release stated that “following the resignation of the managing director/CEO of FirstBank, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, the Board of Directors has appointed Olusegun Alebiosu as the acting CEO of the 130-year-old institution.

“The appointment takes effect immediately and is subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

The release stated that Alebiosu was until this appointment the executive director, chief risk officer and executive compliance officer since January 2022. Prior to that, he was the Group executive/ chief risk officer, a position he held since 2016.

“Alebiosu brings to the executive management of FirstBank over 28 years’ experience in the banking and financial services industry with cross-functional exposure to Credit risk management, Financial planning and control, Credit and marketing, Trade, Corporate and commercial banking, Agriculture financing, Oil and Gas, Transportation (including Aviation and Shipping) and Project financing.”

It added that the new acting MD/CEO commenced his professional career in 1991 with Oceanic Bank Plc (now EcoBank) and prior to joining FirstBank in 2016 served as Chief Risk Officer at Coronation Merchant Bank Limited, Chief Credit Risk Officer at African Development Bank Group and Group Head, Credit Policy & Deputy Chief Credit Risk Officer at United Bank for Africa Plc.

“He is an alumnus of Harvard School of Government and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management. He also obtained a Master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos and holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

“He is a member of various professional bodies namely, Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants (FCA), Associate, Nigeria Institute of Management (ANIM), Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and Member, Nigeria Institute of International Affairs.”