Verena Kloos to keynote at Corporate Leaders Breakfast
President of BMW Group is one of top women in automotive industry
Verena Kloos, president of BMW Group DesignworksUSA, will serve as keynote speaker at California Lutheran University’s Corporate Leaders Breakfast on Wednesday, Nov. 28.
One of the most powerful women in the automotive industry, Kloos has overseen the day-to-day operations and strategic direction of DesignworksUSA since 2004. The international design firm offering full-service design solutions for premium brands worldwide is based in Newbury Park.
Formerly head of the DaimlerChrysler Advanced Design Studio Italia (ADI), Kloos oversaw the design and development of advanced interior concepts for Mercedes-Benz product lines. She received her highest recognition for the interior design of the Mercedes-Benz CLK Design Car, which she co-designed with Giorgio Armani.
She also has held various senior management and senior design positions at DaimlerChrysler and Volkswagen in Europe and America, and was recognized by the Automotive News Award as one of the “Top 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry.”
A native of Wolfsburg, Germany, Kloos earned a Bachelor of Design degree in the Industrial Design Studies Program at the University of Fine Arts in Braunschweig.
CLU’s Corporate Leaders Breakfast Series brings the region’s business and civic leaders together to share ideas and hear from prominent business leaders in the community. The series is sponsored by Merrill Lynch of Westlake Village, Sodexho, Pacific Coast Business Times, Ventura County Star, Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, Rabobank, Business Exit Advisors, Inc. and Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks-Griffin Memorial Park.
Other speakers scheduled for the 2007-2008 Corporate Leaders Breakfast Series include:
oDr. Eva Conrad, president of Moorpark College, Dr. Richard Rush, president of California State University Channel Islands and the Rev. Dr. Howie Wennes, interim president of CLU, will discuss higher education in the county with Hugh Ralston, president and CEO of the Ventura County Community Foundation, as moderator on Jan. 29.
oScott Simon, radio host of Weekend Edition (National Public Radio), on April 21.
The Nov. 28 event will be held at 7:30 a.m. in the Lundring Events Center. CLU is located at 60 W. Olsen Road in Thousand Oaks. For further information and reservations, please call (805) 493-3827.