The unexpected appointment of Jon Ikeda to head Acura puts him on a short list of top brand executives in the auto industry who got there by way of the design studios rather than the business offices. It's a route that has produced mixed results. But having a designer in charge of a luxury brand that's light on cachet could be exactly the shot in the arm Acura needs, both for its product portfolio and its relationship with the Honda mothership in Japan.
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