World Car Awards: 2026 World Car Person of the Year Contenders Announced

The World Car Awards has announced the contenders for the prestigious 2026 World Car Person of the Year. This year’s nominees are David Craig, Staff Product Manager, General Motors; Tisha Johnson, Head of Design, Slate; and Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management, BMW, who have been selected for their immense contribution in the automotive sector. While an Indian name has not made the cut this year, the previous awards had notable nominees including Maruti Suzuki’s C.V. Raman (2024), Tata Motors' Shailesh Chandra (2022), and Pratap Bose (2021), a testament of India’s growing influence on the global auto industry.

David Craig, Staff Product Manager, General Motors

David Craig is one of the more influential names at General Motors, and is widely regarded as the “maps guru.” He is the Chief of Maps and Staff Product Manager, Craig leads one of the most strategically important technology teams inside the company. This includes GM’s Super Cruise system, which enables the hands-free driver assistance technology to operate across around 750,000 miles of mapped roads in the United States and Canada.

Also Read: 2026 World Car of the Year Finalists Announced, India's Hyundai Venue Makes It To Top 10

Craig joined GM in 2016 with an initial focus on high-definition mapping for autonomous driving. He has played a central role in setting the strategy, technology sourcing and technical requirements for the maps used across GM’s advanced driver assistance systems. He leads a 90-person team, which is responsible for collecting map data, working with suppliers, defining specifications for Super Cruise expansions and delivering seamless over-the-air map updates across GM’s vehicle range. The real-world impact is even more impressive. The Super Cruise function has now logged more than 700 million hands-free miles, a testament to Craig’s widely deployed advanced driving technologies.

Tisha Johnson, Head of Design, Slate

With a career rooted in design, Tisha Johnson has been instrumental in shaping the visual and emotional identity of the newest electric vehicle player in North America. Having worked with Volvo and globally renowned furniture brand Herman Miller, Johnson has built a reputation for thoughtful, forward-looking design that prioritised the relationship between people and products. She brings a blend of  artistic sensitivity and real-world usability to Slate’s vehicles. The designer believes that vehicles should feel intuitive, inclusive and personal, rather than intimidating or overly technical.

Johnson has also been influential at Slate in choosing the materials, interfaces, and user experience to ensure the design supports sustainability, accessibility, and everyday life, bringing a more tangible connection between the brand and customers.

Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management, BMW

Oliver Zipse has led BMW AG as Chairman of the Board of Management since August 2019, and has been the guiding light for the automaker’s technological and strategic transformation. Zipse joined BMW in 1991 and has spent his entire professional career within the company, having worked across different departments including development, production and
corporate strategy. He is known for combining engineering rigour with long-term strategic thinking. The veteran was also the Head of Production and Managing Director of BMW’s Oxford plant in the UK. Under his leadership, BMW has pursued a technology-open approach to electrification, digitalisation and sustainability, while maintaining a strong focus on brand identity and profitability.

As he enters the last phase of his tenure at BMW, Zipse leaves behind a strong legacy, most notably the new BMW Neue Klasse range of vehicles, marking the biggest technical transformation of the brand in its history.

The winner of the World Car Person of the Year will be announced on February 26, 2026. A jury of 98 international automotive journalists from 33 countries put forward nominations for the World Car Person of the Year based on their significant contributions to the global automotive industry during the previous calendar year.

Previous recipients of the coveted title include, Stella Li, Executive Vice-President of BYD (2025); Adrian Newey OBE, then CTO of Red Bull Racing and soon to join Aston Martin’s Formula One team (2024); SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Hyundai and Genesis Global Design Center, Hyundai Motor Company (2023); Luc Donckerwolke, Executive Vice President for Design and Chief Creative Officer, Hyundai Motor Group (2022); Akio Toyoda, President and CEO, Toyota Motor Corporation (2021); Carlos Tavares, CEO of PSA Group (2020); the late Sergio Marchionne, CEO, FCA; Chairman, CNH Industrial; and Chairman and CEO, Ferrari (2019); and Håkan Samuelsson, President and CEO, Volvo Car Group (2018).