Among Renault's successes under Lo have been the Renault Clio, a small hatchback that became the brand's top seller, and the Dacia Duster, a budget-priced small SUV that has been a segment leader against more expensive rivals.
At Ford, Lo will be on an "excellent team and succeeds someone who is looked upon as being a design leader," Le Quement said of Callum, adding that Callum surrounded himself "with some pretty hot talent."
Lo declined to comment, citing the job transition.
Going with an outsider worked well for Ford in 1997, when it hired a young designer from Audi, J Mays, to replace Jack Telnack as vice president for design. Mays went on to craft many notable vehicles, including a number of Ford sedans, two iterations of the F-150, the 2010 Mustang and the 2005 GT.
"Looking for an international perspective is a wise move by Ford," Karl Brauer, an analyst with iSeeCars.com, told Automotive News. "I think you can make the argument that there might be an outsized level of design inspiration coming from the European community that might be a good place to look when you want to keep a company moving forward."
Callum, 62, joined Ford in 1995 through its Mazda brand in Japan. Notable vehicles designed under his watch include the 1999 Super Duty, 2011 Explorer, 2015 Mustang and 2016 GT. He also was in charge of the new Mustang Mach-E electric crossover, the upcoming Bronco SUV and the 2021 F-150 introduced last fall.
"Moray's influence is seen on streets around the globe," Hau Thai-Tang, Ford's product development and purchasing boss, said in a statement.