Tom Matano

Key Contributor
School of Industrial Design

Tom Matano, brought nearly 30 years of experience in the automotive design industry and left a lasting impact on the field. Before joining Mazda, he held design positions at General Motors in Detroit and Melbourne, as well as BMW in Munich. In 1983, he joined Mazda’s North American studio as Chief Designer. He went on to serve as Vice President of Design, Executive Vice President of Western Operations for Mazda R&D North America, and Executive Designer and Director of Mazda North American Operations.

From 1999 to 2002, Mr. Matano worked at Mazda headquarters in Japan as an Executive Designer in the Global Advance Studio and as General Manager of Mazda Design, overseeing Chief Designers and the Europe and North America studios. His contributions helped shape iconic vehicles, including the MX-5, RX-7, the Miata “M-Coupe” concept, and numerous other projects developed under his leadership.

Later in his career, Mr. Matano dedicated himself to education. He shared his extensive knowledge and global industry experience with students at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where he played a significant role in strengthening and elevating the Industrial Design program. His influence on the industry and on generations of designers continues to resonate.