ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • New York
  • Technology
  • Culture
  • Entertainment
  • Sport
  • More
    • Politics
    • Lifestyle
    • TV
    • Games
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
FINCHANNEL
  • Home
  • Business
    • BANKS
      • GeoBanks
    • Finance
    • Insurance
    • Markets
    • Pharmacy
    • Press Releases
    • RealEstate
    • RealEstate
    • Finance
    • Insurance
    • Banks
      • GeoBanks
    • Markets
    • Press Releases
    • Personal Finance
  • World
    • Americas
    • Europe
    • Georgia
      • Media
    • Ukraine
    • Europe
    • Georgia
      • Media
    • Ukraine
    • Americas
    • UK local news
  • Travel
    • Hotels in Georgia
    • Tours in Georgia
  • Videos
    • Promos
    • Soundslides
    • TheClinics
    • TheHoteliers
    • TheUniversities
    • TheHoteliers
    • TheClinics
    • TheUniversities
    • BestWorkplaces
    • Soundslides
    • Promos
    • Banking Forum
      • Promos
      • Soundslides
      • TheClinics
      • TheHoteliers
      • TheUniversities
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
      • Analysis
      • GORBI
      • OP-ED
      • VISA Editorial
    • Analysis
    • Gorbi
    • Book reviews
  • Tech
  • Interview
  • People
    • lifestyle
    • Health & Beauty
      • Coronavirus
    • LifeStyle
    • Employment
      • MyCareer
    • Education
    • Media
    • Celebrities
  • Oil&Auto
    • Auto
    • Energy
  • EN
    • EN
    • GE
  • Home
  • Business
    • BANKS
      • GeoBanks
    • Finance
    • Insurance
    • Markets
    • Pharmacy
    • Press Releases
    • RealEstate
    • RealEstate
    • Finance
    • Insurance
    • Banks
      • GeoBanks
    • Markets
    • Press Releases
    • Personal Finance
  • World
    • Americas
    • Europe
    • Georgia
      • Media
    • Ukraine
    • Europe
    • Georgia
      • Media
    • Ukraine
    • Americas
    • UK local news
  • Travel
    • Hotels in Georgia
    • Tours in Georgia
  • Videos
    • Promos
    • Soundslides
    • TheClinics
    • TheHoteliers
    • TheUniversities
    • TheHoteliers
    • TheClinics
    • TheUniversities
    • BestWorkplaces
    • Soundslides
    • Promos
    • Banking Forum
      • Promos
      • Soundslides
      • TheClinics
      • TheHoteliers
      • TheUniversities
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
      • Analysis
      • GORBI
      • OP-ED
      • VISA Editorial
    • Analysis
    • Gorbi
    • Book reviews
  • Tech
  • Interview
  • People
    • lifestyle
    • Health & Beauty
      • Coronavirus
    • LifeStyle
    • Employment
      • MyCareer
    • Education
    • Media
    • Celebrities
  • Oil&Auto
    • Auto
    • Energy
  • EN
    • EN
    • GE
No Result
View All Result
FINCHANNEL
No Result
View All Result
Home INTERVIEW

Learning from challenges and adapting to the unexpected: An Interview with Infiniti design director Alfonso Albasia

The FINANCIAL by The FINANCIAL
July 19, 2016
in INTERVIEW
Reading Time: 5 mins read
9
A A
0
Learning from challenges and adapting to the unexpected: An Interview with Infiniti design director Alfonso Albasia
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The FINANCIAL — Alfonso Albaisa is executive design director, Infiniti Motor Company, Ltd. and also a corporate vice president.

A graduate of the Pratt Institute – a top American university in the areas of industrial design and architecture based in the New York City area — Albaisa has spent his entire career with Nissan and Infiniti, according to NISSAN.

Here, Albasia reveals what inspires him personally, what it’s like working as part of a global design team, and more.

RelatedPosts

Iran’s capacity has been significantly degraded, but its intent hasn’t changed

Interview: Former British Air Commander Says Ukraine Must ‘Inflict Maximum Pain’ On Russia

Bizzy Cold Brew CEO Reveals What’s Fueling Ambitiously Strong Brand

Washington Wants to Avoid a Repeat of Last Year’s NATO Summit

Living together design and engineering

Albasia: “As a child, back in Miami, my friends and I were imagining drawing and building the cars of our dreams from our own home factory (which was actually made of the deep shag carpet of my family’s living room). I joined the company 28 years ago at what was then a small studio in California, but in which I quickly saw the great potential of our global company. Twenty-eight years later, there is nothing I like more than seeing my team and their engineering colleagues break down together the thousands of issues in front of them until the last bus signals the end of our day. ‘O-tsukaresama,’ as my friends say, in a shared sense and appreciation that we ‘gave it all.’ We are Japanese; we are French; we are British, European and Americans from the East, the South and from many, many other places. Our strength, or better yet, our advantage, is harnessing all that is great in us to bring to market pure excellence.

“I am now corporate vice president of our global design function. I’m still heavily involved with the creative side, but I am also managing our global resources. As my teams and I map out the next midterm plan, we wonder how, through management of teams, facilities and resources, we can ensure and commit that our culture will continue to be a creative community efficiently executing world-class designs. We are asking contributions from our teams in Atsugi, Harajuku, Beijing, London, Rio, Bangkok and San Diego, to consider how we work today and how we can continue improving even beyond the pace of a hyper competitive global marketplace.

“To make these exciting new designs come to life, we are deepening our search for new synergies with our alliance partners with joint design activities, better understanding of common/uncommon design processes, down to how we make our models while concurrently protecting each Alliance brand’s iconic identity.

“Personally, I like the challenge. The relationship between design/planning and engineering is central because it leverages both sides of our brain – the creative as well as the logical. Down the hall from the design wing are 10,000 engineers. Bringing the best of their ideas over to the design side is a very big part of my job. Each department thinks about the same thing in a slightly different way but when we are able to find coherence within these ideas, we can create something beautiful.”

Taking Risks: Growing together as a team

“Infiniti is an ideal place to work for a designer, as the whole culture of the company supports – better yet, requires – the process of allowing someone to come up with an idea that is fundamentally unique. Big or small, these innovative ideas are for me a form of artistry, and Infiniti is the ultimate manifestation of automotive art. Michelangelo celebrated physical beauty, and Da Vinci celebrated the beauty of ingenuity. If we could capture the hearts and minds of these two gentlemen, everyone would fall in love with our automobiles. With Infiniti, the attitude of the car and the artistry of the body and how it melds seamlessly with our advanced engineering make us unique in the automotive marketplace.

See also  Iran’s capacity has been significantly degraded, but its intent hasn’t changed

“To work for any brand under Nissan Corporation, you have to have a hunger for challenge, and you must learn quickly from the challenges that confront you in order to grow. The important thing is that, as you grow, you must make sure that the team members around you learn and grow with you.”

My Favorite Car: The Infiniti FX – Inspiration at first sight

“In 1999 or 2000, working at Nissan Design America, I saw some photographs from Japan of three models of a project that I really did not know much about, a completely new category of vehicle. At first glance, it was a ‘wow’ moment. At second glance: ‘WOW.’ They were part SUV, part sports coupe. But you have to realize that 16 years ago, crossovers did not exist. This combination of aspects was so fresh and unseen. I just stared at the images: ‘What are these cars?’ One of the vehicles was what would become the first Infiniti FX. It was amazing to me that something so visually powerful could possess such simplicity in its design.

“What made it visually powerful was its silhouette, its gesture! It was like an egg that had bitten into an aircraft carrier. The hood was so long and horizontal, yet the cabin so tight and arced. It had so much attitude. I remember when I saw the first one on the road three years later, I simply smiled, knowing how back in Japan, they had really pulled it off, making such an effortlessly iconic vehicle and keeping true to the original vision.

“It is vehicles like the FX and Murano, Z and G coupe, Qashqai and JUKE, that have left such a powerful impression on customers around the globe – setting our Nissan and Infiniti brands apart as innovators. I do feel that when we are at our best, we can create cars that make the public react at first glance to say ‘wow, this is fresh’ and ‘this is right for me.’ As we embark on evolutions of these icons and the creation of completely new ones, let’s make sure we continue to deliver this surprise that feels so right.”

A Passion for Design and Sailing: Harmony in nature

“Away from work, my other passion is sailing. I am a single-handed sailor, meaning I like to sail alone and over long distances, my favorite distance being about 36 hours. Physically, you get tired, so you must consider your endurance. Especially at night, you see less but feel and hear more: the influence of the wind and waves on the boat, the sounds and vibration of the rigging. When sailing at speed and at night, you sense when boat and sails are optimized. It is not quiet, but there is a silence or harmony, because both boat and sails are in the right place. This is like nothing I ever experienced before – how the simple elements of nature can propel such a heavy object effortlessly. It is humbling.

“Sailing at night in the open ocean can bring a surprise every minute, and considering every risk while staying positive and keeping a challenger spirit opens doors you did not expect. And for me, the design process is very much like this. You want to create something different, something new; its success is not guaranteed, but you’re still hungry for that, so you are chasing the idea that is pushing yourself all the time. But a design without planning and harmony regardless of newness cannot survive.

“What you find is that, as you grow as a designer, you are able to manage all of the inputs from management, all the criteria from engineering, and all the feedback from the markets to find a solution which is harmonic, clear and beautiful.”

 

Related Posts

Iran’s capacity has been significantly degraded, but its intent hasn’t changed
INTERVIEW

Iran’s capacity has been significantly degraded, but its intent hasn’t changed

by The FINANCIAL
July 4, 2025
0

On July 1, Aaron David Miller spoke with General David Petraeus and Carnegie’s Karim Sadjadpour about the complexities of the...

Read more
Interview: Former British Air Commander Says Ukraine Must ‘Inflict Maximum Pain’ On Russia

Interview: Former British Air Commander Says Ukraine Must ‘Inflict Maximum Pain’ On Russia

September 17, 2024
Bizzy Cold Brew CEO Reveals What’s Fueling Ambitiously Strong Brand

Bizzy Cold Brew CEO Reveals What’s Fueling Ambitiously Strong Brand

Washington Wants to Avoid a Repeat of Last Year’s NATO Summit

Washington Wants to Avoid a Repeat of Last Year’s NATO Summit

June 28, 2024

Discussion about this post

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Spot Hbar ETF Odds Increase to 90% as Institutions Bet Big on Hedera

Spot Hbar ETF Odds Increase to 90% as Institutions Bet Big on Hedera

July 3, 2025
Teaching porn literacy

A sizable percentage of internet porn users, roughly 40% are women

January 17, 2024
7 Best SEO Events To Attend This Year

7 Best SEO Events To Attend This Year

July 2, 2025
Ampersand wins £22m five-year contract at London Zoo

Ampersand wins £22m five-year contract at London Zoo

June 25, 2012
EasyJet to fly to London from Stockholm Arlanda

The London Diplomatic List, Addresses, Contacts & Working Hours

January 23, 2023
Georgian Leadership Sent ‘Threatening, Insulting’ Letter To Trump Administration

Georgian Leadership Sent ‘Threatening, Insulting’ Letter To Trump Administration

July 7, 2025
Prominent Georgian Businessman Behind Euronews and National Geographic Arrested in Tbilisi

Prominent Georgian Businessman Behind Euronews and National Geographic Arrested in Tbilisi

July 7, 2025
The Role of Ethical Leadership in Financial Services

Why Financial Firms Are Turning to Remote Staffing for Growth?

July 7, 2025
Etisalat and Ericsson trial Massive MIMO technology in the UAE

Global study shows 96% plan to increase yield focus in anticipation of market correction

July 7, 2025
How Responsible Money Management Can Improve Your Financial Well-being

AnaIysis Reveals Significant Focus on Private Assets by Insurers Using External Investment Managers 

July 7, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT

Popular Last 24h

  • Spot Hbar ETF Odds Increase to 90% as Institutions Bet Big on Hedera

    Spot Hbar ETF Odds Increase to 90% as Institutions Bet Big on Hedera

    232 shares
    Share 93 Tweet 58
  • Prominent Georgian Businessman Behind Euronews and National Geographic Arrested in Tbilisi

    30 shares
    Share 12 Tweet 8
  • A sizable percentage of internet porn users, roughly 40% are women

    627 shares
    Share 251 Tweet 157
  • Ampersand wins £22m five-year contract at London Zoo

    3969 shares
    Share 1588 Tweet 992
  • Global study shows 96% plan to increase yield focus in anticipation of market correction

    21 shares
    Share 8 Tweet 5
  • AnaIysis Reveals Significant Focus on Private Assets by Insurers Using External Investment Managers 

    20 shares
    Share 8 Tweet 5
  • Why Financial Firms Are Turning to Remote Staffing for Growth?

    18 shares
    Share 7 Tweet 5

LATEST POSTS

Georgian Leadership Sent ‘Threatening, Insulting’ Letter To Trump Administration

Georgian Leadership Sent ‘Threatening, Insulting’ Letter To Trump Administration

July 7, 2025
Prominent Georgian Businessman Behind Euronews and National Geographic Arrested in Tbilisi

Prominent Georgian Businessman Behind Euronews and National Geographic Arrested in Tbilisi

July 7, 2025
The Role of Ethical Leadership in Financial Services

Why Financial Firms Are Turning to Remote Staffing for Growth?

July 7, 2025
Etisalat and Ericsson trial Massive MIMO technology in the UAE

Global study shows 96% plan to increase yield focus in anticipation of market correction

July 7, 2025
How Responsible Money Management Can Improve Your Financial Well-being

AnaIysis Reveals Significant Focus on Private Assets by Insurers Using External Investment Managers 

July 7, 2025
Facebook Quarterly Earnings Doubled in Three Years and Hit $17.7bn in Q1 2020

faceboo mmay hides the income from specific governments and extremist groups

July 6, 2025
A Landmark Rolls-Ryce Debut in Georgia

A Landmark Rolls-Ryce Debut in Georgia

July 6, 2025
Russia ramps up use of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine, including WWI-era poison gas, 3 European intel services say

Russia ramps up use of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine, including WWI-era poison gas, 3 European intel services say

July 5, 2025
Safety Training Seminars Review 2025- Reliable CPR and BLS Certification Courses

Safety Training Seminars Review 2025- Reliable CPR and BLS Certification Courses

July 5, 2025
Honest Review of UNSW Online 2025: Is It Worth Your Time and Investment?

Honest Review of UNSW Online 2025: Is It Worth Your Time and Investment?

July 4, 2025

LATESTBUSINESS

Prominent Georgian Businessman Behind Euronews and National Geographic Arrested in Tbilisi

Prominent Georgian Businessman Behind Euronews and National Geographic Arrested in Tbilisi

by The FINANCIAL
July 7, 2025
0

Etisalat and Ericsson trial Massive MIMO technology in the UAE

Global study shows 96% plan to increase yield focus in anticipation of market correction

by The FINANCIAL
July 7, 2025
0

How Responsible Money Management Can Improve Your Financial Well-being

AnaIysis Reveals Significant Focus on Private Assets by Insurers Using External Investment Managers 

by The FINANCIAL
July 7, 2025
0

Facebook Quarterly Earnings Doubled in Three Years and Hit $17.7bn in Q1 2020

faceboo mmay hides the income from specific governments and extremist groups

by The FINANCIAL
July 6, 2025
0

A Landmark Rolls-Ryce Debut in Georgia

A Landmark Rolls-Ryce Debut in Georgia

by The FINANCIAL
July 6, 2025
0

2025 Review Of NEXT New Growth | Executive Coaching For CFOs

2025 Review Of NEXT New Growth | Executive Coaching For CFOs

by The FINANCIAL
July 4, 2025
0

Spot Hbar ETF Odds Increase to 90% as Institutions Bet Big on Hedera

Spot Hbar ETF Odds Increase to 90% as Institutions Bet Big on Hedera

by The FINANCIAL
July 3, 2025
0

SCOPE Recruiting: Honest Review For 2025

SCOPE Recruiting: Honest Review For 2025

by The FINANCIAL
July 3, 2025
0

GET IN TOUCH

Submit guest post/Letters to the Editor:

editor (at) finchannel.com

Sales & Marketing: (+995 558) 03 03 03 Email: marketing (at) finchannel.com

Whatsup: (+995 599) 96 52 52

Georgia:

(+995 599) 96 52 52 Email: editor (@) finchannel.com

Postal address: 17 Mtskheta str. Tbilisi, Georgia 0179 The FINANCIAL

RESOURCE

  • Work at the FINANCIAL
  • ePaper
  • Advertise in The FINANCIAL
  • Access ePaper
  • Guest posts
  • Contributed articles
  • AmericanStockNews
  • Coupon Codes
  • GLOSSY MAG
American Culture Center
ACC Partner

GUIDEBOOK

  • Meet our team
  • Invest in Georgia
  • Become contributor
  • Archive

FOLLOW US

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • Youtube
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
    • BANKS
      • GeoBanks
    • Finance
    • Insurance
    • Markets
    • Pharmacy
    • Press Releases
    • RealEstate
    • RealEstate
    • Finance
    • Insurance
    • Banks
      • GeoBanks
    • Markets
    • Press Releases
    • Personal Finance
  • World
    • Americas
    • Europe
    • Georgia
      • Media
    • Ukraine
    • Europe
    • Georgia
      • Media
    • Ukraine
    • Americas
    • UK local news
  • Travel
    • Hotels in Georgia
    • Tours in Georgia
  • Videos
    • Promos
    • Soundslides
    • TheClinics
    • TheHoteliers
    • TheUniversities
    • TheHoteliers
    • TheClinics
    • TheUniversities
    • BestWorkplaces
    • Soundslides
    • Promos
    • Banking Forum
      • Promos
      • Soundslides
      • TheClinics
      • TheHoteliers
      • TheUniversities
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
      • Analysis
      • GORBI
      • OP-ED
      • VISA Editorial
    • Analysis
    • Gorbi
    • Book reviews
  • Tech
  • Interview
  • People
    • lifestyle
    • Health & Beauty
      • Coronavirus
    • LifeStyle
    • Employment
      • MyCareer
    • Education
    • Media
    • Celebrities
  • Oil&Auto
    • Auto
    • Energy
  • EN
    • EN
    • GE

© 2025 Intelligence Group llc

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.