Walter de Silva, Italian car designer
Walter Maria de Silva (born 27 February 1951 in Lecco, Italy) is an Italian car designer and former head of Volkswagen Group Design, until 2015. Since beginning his car design career in 1972 as trainee car designer for Fiat's Style Centre. De Silva has also worked as a designer at I.DE.A Institute, and as head of design for Alfa Romeo, SEAT and the 'Audi brand group'. He is presently CEO of the women premium footwear brand WALTERDESILVASHOES and Vice President of Styling and Design at FAW Group's Italian-based joint venture with Silk EV (known for the Hongqi S9 sportscar).