Bringing UK Exterior Engineering Expertise to Lucid Motors
How Akkar looked beyond the US market to secure specialist exterior engineering expertise from the UK luxury automotive sector.
Bringing UK Exterior Engineering Expertise to Lucid Motors
How Akkar looked beyond the US market to secure specialist exterior engineering expertise from the UK luxury automotive sector.
Lucid Motors builds luxury electric vehicles from its headquarters in Newark, California. It was founded in 2007 as a battery and powertrain technology company and rebranded in 2016 to build its own cars.
Its flagship sedan, the Lucid Air, holds the EPA record for the longest range of any electric vehicle and was Motor Trend's Car of the Year in 2022.
The Gravity SUV followed, and Lucid plans to start production of a mid-size platform in late 2026.
The Domestic Market Wasn't Producing the Profile
Lucid had been trying to hire an Exterior Trim Lead for its US operations for some time. The domestic search had not produced the right person.
The brief was narrow. Lucid needed deep technical expertise in exterior trim systems, a record of taking complex components from concept through to production, and experience on high-performance luxury vehicle programmes. Exterior trim is one of the most visible expressions of a vehicle's quality, and Lucid competes with the most established names in luxury automotive.
The harder problem was geographic. Exterior engineering at this level is most often developed at the UK's luxury car makers, including McLaren Automotive, Aston Martin Lagonda, Bentley and Jaguar Land Rover. On their cars, finish quality, material precision and gap-and-flush control are held to an exceptionally high standard. The engineers most likely to fit the brief were in another country, and the strongest of them were unlikely to be looking.
So the hire had two parts. Find the right engineer in the UK. Then move them and their family to the US without the move becoming the reason they said no.
Reading the Brief as a Geography Problem
The first decision was where to look. Lucid's domestic search had already covered the US market, and running it again was unlikely to produce a different result. We took the search to the UK's luxury automotive sector, where this kind of exterior engineering is most often developed.
Mapping the UK Exterior Engineering Teams
We mapped the exterior engineering teams at the OEMs known for this work. The target was specific: senior engineers who had delivered complex exterior trim architectures, high-end surface quality and premium programme execution. The brief was narrow enough that broad outreach would only have added noise, so the list stayed short.
Direct Approaches and Assessment
We approached passive senior engineers directly instead of advertising the role or waiting for applicants. Shortlisted candidates went through a structured assessment and interview process.
That process identified Hasan, an exterior engineering specialist with a strong track record delivering exterior trim systems for McLaren Automotive and Aston Martin Lagonda. His technical leadership, programme delivery experience and depth in luxury vehicle exterior systems matched the brief closely.
Moving the Hire and His Family Through Move Talent
A UK-to-US hire brings visa requirements, relocation logistics and a hard personal decision for a family. Any one of them can end a candidate's interest late in the process.
We coordinated the move through our US Immigration & Relocation service:
- Visa and immigration coordination, with specialist immigration input where required
- Relocation logistics for the move from the UK
- Help finding housing and researching the local area
- School district research for his daughters
Because we could coordinate the move ourselves, the search could go to the right country from the start.
Specific weekly milestones were not recorded for this engagement.
The search involved an international talent mapping exercise across the UK luxury automotive sector, proactive headhunting of passive candidates, and a structured assessment and interview process, followed by immigration and relocation coordination prior to the candidate's transition to the US.
Outcomes
- Exterior Trim lead hired after a considerable period of unsuccessful domestic search
- Candidate found in the UK's luxury automotive sector through a targeted headhunt
- UK-to-US relocation coordinated through US Immigration & Relocation, with support for his family
- Hasan joined with directly relevant programme experience from McLaren Automotive and Aston Martin Lagonda
Operational & Commercial Impact
Lucid gained an exterior trim lead with programme experience from the top of the UK luxury sector. Its domestic search hadn't found that profile.
For a manufacturer competing on the quality and precision of its vehicles, the engineer leading exterior trim sets the standard customers see and touch. Lucid now has that experience inside its US team.
"With honesty and professionalism, Akkar have supported Lucid Motors with contingent workforce management. We are very pleased with our long-standing relationship with Akkar and look forward to it continuing."
Lucid Motors builds luxury electric vehicles from its headquarters in Newark, California. It was founded in 2007 as a battery and powertrain technology company and rebranded in 2016 to build its own cars.
Its flagship sedan, the Lucid Air, holds the EPA record for the longest range of any electric vehicle and was Motor Trend's Car of the Year in 2022.
The Gravity SUV followed, and Lucid plans to start production of a mid-size platform in late 2026.
The Domestic Market Wasn't Producing the Profile
Lucid had been trying to hire an Exterior Trim Lead for its US operations for some time. The domestic search had not produced the right person.
The brief was narrow. Lucid needed deep technical expertise in exterior trim systems, a record of taking complex components from concept through to production, and experience on high-performance luxury vehicle programmes. Exterior trim is one of the most visible expressions of a vehicle's quality, and Lucid competes with the most established names in luxury automotive.
The harder problem was geographic. Exterior engineering at this level is most often developed at the UK's luxury car makers, including McLaren Automotive, Aston Martin Lagonda, Bentley and Jaguar Land Rover. On their cars, finish quality, material precision and gap-and-flush control are held to an exceptionally high standard. The engineers most likely to fit the brief were in another country, and the strongest of them were unlikely to be looking.
So the hire had two parts. Find the right engineer in the UK. Then move them and their family to the US without the move becoming the reason they said no.
Reading the Brief as a Geography Problem
The first decision was where to look. Lucid's domestic search had already covered the US market, and running it again was unlikely to produce a different result. We took the search to the UK's luxury automotive sector, where this kind of exterior engineering is most often developed.
Mapping the UK Exterior Engineering Teams
We mapped the exterior engineering teams at the OEMs known for this work. The target was specific: senior engineers who had delivered complex exterior trim architectures, high-end surface quality and premium programme execution. The brief was narrow enough that broad outreach would only have added noise, so the list stayed short.
Direct Approaches and Assessment
We approached passive senior engineers directly instead of advertising the role or waiting for applicants. Shortlisted candidates went through a structured assessment and interview process.
That process identified Hasan, an exterior engineering specialist with a strong track record delivering exterior trim systems for McLaren Automotive and Aston Martin Lagonda. His technical leadership, programme delivery experience and depth in luxury vehicle exterior systems matched the brief closely.
Moving the Hire and His Family Through Move Talent
A UK-to-US hire brings visa requirements, relocation logistics and a hard personal decision for a family. Any one of them can end a candidate's interest late in the process.
We coordinated the move through our US Immigration & Relocation service:
- Visa and immigration coordination, with specialist immigration input where required
- Relocation logistics for the move from the UK
- Help finding housing and researching the local area
- School district research for his daughters
Because we could coordinate the move ourselves, the search could go to the right country from the start.
International specialist hire
Relevant OEM experience
Filled through international search
Candidate & family supported
Outcomes
- Exterior Trim lead hired after a considerable period of unsuccessful domestic search
- Candidate found in the UK's luxury automotive sector through a targeted headhunt
- UK-to-US relocation coordinated through US Immigration & Relocation, with support for his family
- Hasan joined with directly relevant programme experience from McLaren Automotive and Aston Martin Lagonda
Operational & Commercial Impact
Lucid gained an exterior trim lead with programme experience from the top of the UK luxury sector. Its domestic search hadn't found that profile.
For a manufacturer competing on the quality and precision of its vehicles, the engineer leading exterior trim sets the standard customers see and touch. Lucid now has that experience inside its US team.
A stalled domestic search may be looking in the wrong market.
When a role stays open, the instinct is to rewrite the brief or change recruiters. In specialised engineering, check first whether the people you need are in the market you're searching.
Luxury automotive experience can transfer across borders.
The UK's luxury car makers are an underused source for US EV programmes. McLaren, Aston Martin, Bentley and Jaguar Land Rover have trained generations of exterior engineers to a standard that transfers directly to premium US vehicles. Reaching them takes the network to find them and the means to move them.
For a cross-border hire, the relocation plan is part of the offer.
Candidates with families may weigh the move as heavily as the role. Coordinating visa, housing and schooling from the outset can remove barriers before they threaten the hire.
"With honesty and professionalism, Akkar have supported Lucid Motors with contingent workforce management. We are very pleased with our long-standing relationship with Akkar and look forward to it continuing."
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