BERNHARD KOEHLER

COO, Fisker Automotive

Chosen because: The native of Germany spent 22 years at BMW Design in Munich, before moving to BMW's industrial design subsidiary in Southern California, where he became director of operations. He moved to Ford Motor Co., heading its Global Advanced Design Studio in Southern California, and working with Henrik Fisker, then a designer for Aston Martin, on several vehicles. In 2005, Koehler and Fisker launched Fisker Coachbuild, forerunner to Fisker Automotive, which the two started in 2007. As COO, Koehler is responsible for overall operations.

Quote: “Buying a car is driven by emotion.  By making electric vehicles even more exciting to drive than gasoline-powered cars we will ensure their success.”