Inspired by a culture shock, Guy Burgoyne has helped the carmaker become more competitive

The first thing car design guru Guy Burgoyne usually shows visitors to his office in Shanghai's Pudong district are his caricatures of heroes from the classic novel Journey to the West, including the Monkey King and monk Tang Sanzang.

He describes himself as a mixture of the two characters: The naughty spirit of the Monkey King, which alludes to the courage to challenge and pursue excellence, and the serenity of the monk.

Yet unlike those fictional heroes, who embarked on a strenuous journey west, Burgoyne headed in the other direction, moving from Australia to China in 2013 to become chief designer at automaker Geely.

The following year, the British-born designer was appointed vice-president in China for Geely Design, which has studios in Shanghai, Gothenburg, Barcelona and Los Angeles.

Burgoyne's extensive career had already included spells in Sweden, Australia, France and the United Kingdom, but he conceded he experienced a culture shock when he arrived in China. To him and his family, a lot of things were different from their previous experiences, but in a good way, he said.

"It was a really good thing for a designer, especially as China has so much culture and heritage. There are so many things that are new for my eyes."

Burgoyne was in his early 40s when he started at Geely and had previously worked for auto industry leaders including Volvo, Renault and General Motors.

He said it was initially hard for him to believe a privately owned Chinese automaker would be able to make an impact globally. Six years later, he can firmly say that the company's cars, and the whole Chinese automotive industry, are competitive on the world stage.

The increase in head count is a strong indicator. Geely Design Shanghai had only 25 members in 2013, and now it has 350, most of them Chinese designers.

"I had no idea that we would be this big this quickly. This is part of the great journey that China is on, especially the car industry, which matures rapidly," Burgoyne said.

"The right word to use is tenacity," he added. "The drive and the will to succeed, develop and achieve is more here than anywhere else. It is great for designers, as we thrive on opportunities."

He said Chinese car manufacturers are overtaking some of their peers overseas, which is not only based on their understanding but also feedback of industry insiders. One reason is the companies' huge investments in technology, in addition to China's investments in creative education in general.

When it comes to the nation's effort to reform and opening-up, Burgoyne said he believes it points to a positive future, especially for designers.

With China making strides, he said his team's duty at Geely is to create products that look globally excellent with a local flavor at a closer look.

"In 10 years' time, it will have more value globally to say that this product is not only made in China, which the world has been used to for years, but rather designed in China," he said. "Meanwhile, there will be a boom in creative manpower in the country and more confidence."