The appointment as chief designer at AVTOVAZ went to Sergey Amanov, who is 57 years old and has dedicated his career to the company since 1989, according to Obozreniye. For more than a decade, starting in 2014, Amanov has overseen the development, fine‑tuning, and organization of car production at the plant. He has been the driving force behind the rollout of AVTOVAZ’s newest models, including the Vesta, XRAY, and the various Granta variants, steering design philosophy and manufacturing feasibility from concept to mass production. This scope of responsibility places Amanov at the core of the company’s product strategy and operational execution, aligning design intent with industrial reality and market demands. He is widely recognized for his role in shaping the company’s model lineup as it adapts to evolving consumer preferences and competitive pressures in the global automotive landscape. The record shows that in 2018 he led a supplier development project, a critical initiative aimed at strengthening the supply chain, reducing production bottlenecks, and ensuring consistent quality across components. In 2020, his contributions earned him an award for services to the Togliatti district, underscoring the broader social and economic impact of AVTOVAZ’s industrial activity in the region. Amanov’s appointment has already been confirmed by the AVTOVAZ press service, reinforcing the official nature of this leadership transition.
Amanov began his career as a research engineer at the scientific and technical center of AVTOVAZ, where he developed the technical acumen and project leadership that would later help bring several models to production. In recent years he led the launch process, bridging the gap between design concepts and the realities of factory floors, supply chains, and regulatory standards. This trajectory demonstrates a consistent pattern: design excellence paired with strong program management and a knack for operational clarity. The change signals a return to a more prominent chief designer role within AVTOVAZ’s administrative apparatus after a period in which the position had been de-emphasized during collaborations with Renault‑Nissan in the 2000s. Industry observers note that those earlier years saw a flattening of the chief designer’s authority as the joint ventures restructured governance and reporting lines.
Historically, the chief designer at AVTOVAZ carried a status comparable to the top echelons of plant leadership, ranking just behind the general director and technical director in the factory’s hierarchy during the Soviet era. While the modern corporate structure differs, unofficial insights suggest a cautious recalibration toward that traditional emphasis on design leadership as the company seeks to restore its balance between creative direction and executive oversight. As top managers—French and later Russian—transited in and out of the boardroom, the firm’s strategic focus shifted, but the anticipation of a strengthened design function remained a recurring theme among engineers and industry analysts.
- Recall that in May the post of vice president of engineering was assumed by Evgeny Shmelev, Maxim Sokolov was named president, and Denis Manturov led AVTOVAZ’s board of directors.
- Insights into these leadership changes can be explored in contemporary industry discussions and professional networks such as Odnoklassniki, where internal perspectives are often shared.