2025 Year-End Executive Appointments
Manfred Haller Named Head of R&D, Juncheol Jung Promoted to Head of Manufacturing
219 Executives Promoted in Regular Personnel Changes
Next-Generation Leaders in Their 40s Appointed
Hyundai Motor Group is accelerating its transition to a software-centric mobility company by replacing leaders in its research and development (R&D) and manufacturing divisions. The group has made bold appointments of next-generation executives in their 40s and is strengthening its innovation drive by recruiting diverse external talent.
On December 18, Hyundai Motor Group announced its year-end executive appointments reflecting these changes. A group representative explained, "We have maintained our performance-based approach, promoted leaders who contributed to resolving global uncertainties such as US tariffs and supply chain risks, and implemented a sweeping generational shift focused on expertise in each field."
Manfred Haller, President and Head of R&D Division at Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation. Hyundai Motor Company
To accelerate innovation in software-defined vehicles (SDV) and secure overwhelming technological superiority, Manfred Haller, Head of R&D at Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation, and Juncheol Jung, Head of Manufacturing at Hyundai Motor Company, have both been promoted to president.
Since joining the group last year, President Haller, as Executive Vice President in charge of vehicle development at the R&D division, has leveraged his technical expertise across all aspects of product development to lead improvements in fundamental vehicle performance. He is credited with greatly contributing to establishing the unique brand identity of Hyundai Motor Company and Kia in a short period. Moving forward, as the overall head of group R&D, he is expected to enhance technological competitiveness for SDV success by collaborating with all related divisions, including software.
In the hardware domain, to accelerate the establishment of software-defined factories (SDF), Juncheol Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of Manufacturing, has been promoted to president. President Jung oversees the Manufacturing Solutions Division, responsible for finished vehicle production technology, and the Purchasing Division, which is key to profitability and supply chain management. He is expected to focus on building a future production system centered on software and developing next-generation production systems such as robotics within the group.
Hyundai Motor Company plans to appoint a successor to Song Changhyun, former head of the Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) Division, who resigned on December 5, as soon as possible. In addition, the company will continue to pursue, as planned, the SDV development strategy established under Song's leadership, as well as the internalization of technologies such as the next-generation infotainment system "PleiOS Connect" and the autonomous driving technology "Atria AI."
A new head of domestic production and Chief Safety and Health Officer has been appointed to oversee Hyundai Motor Company's domestic plants. Choi Youngil, Executive Director of the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Center, has been promoted and appointed as Executive Vice President. The organization will be restructured into a technology-focused factory, further solidifying the core status and technological prowess of the domestic plants, which serve as the group's mother factories.
Of the three new Hyundai Motor Company presidents, two have been appointed to key positions for the transition to the SDV system, while one engineering expert has been named head of domestic production, further accelerating the group's transformation into a mobility company.
Additionally, in recognition of his contribution to strengthening Kia's market dominance in North America, Yoon Seunggyu, Executive Vice President and Head of Kia North America Division, has been promoted to president, continuing the group's performance-oriented personnel policy. President Yoon is regarded as a sales expert with business expertise and insight into the North American market, having served as head of the Americas and head of sales subsidiaries in the US and Canada. Despite a challenging competitive environment, he achieved more than an 8% increase in retail sales year-on-year, further solidifying Kia's global standing.
New CEO appointments and promotions have also been made at three major affiliates. Lee Boryong, Executive Vice President and Head of Production at Hyundai Steel, has been promoted and appointed as the new president and CEO of Hyundai Steel. President Lee is a seasoned expert with over 30 years of experience in the steel industry, possessing not only engineering expertise in R&D but also extensive experience in overall steel business operations. He is considered the right person to continuously pursue large-scale strategic investments in facilities and technology, thereby strengthening Hyundai Steel's future competitiveness.
Cho Changhyun, CEO of Hyundai Card, and Jeon Siwoo, CEO of Hyundai Commercial, who achieved results through stable crisis management capabilities, have both been promoted to executive vice president.
Seo Kanghyun, who has served as CEO of Hyundai Steel since 2023, will move to the role of Head of Group Planning and Coordination, leading business optimization among group companies.
Lee Boryong, President of Hyundai Steel. Hyundai Steel
Furthermore, Hyundai Motor Group has conducted regular executive promotions, advancing a total of 219 people, including 14 executive vice presidents, 25 senior vice presidents, and 176 newly appointed vice presidents. By appointing leaders in their 40s and recruiting external talent, the group aims to improve its organizational structure. The number of promotions has decreased compared to last year (239 people), seeking change amid stability.
Ji Sungwon, Senior Vice President and Head of Hyundai Motor Company Brand Marketing Division, who is 47 years old and has contributed to elevating the brand's global value for two consecutive years, has been promoted to executive vice president in his 40s.
The proportion of newly appointed vice presidents in their 40s has risen sharply from 24% in 2020 to nearly half this year. For the first time, the average age of newly appointed vice presidents has entered the 40s. Among vice presidents born in the 1980s, a total of 12 have been newly appointed, including Cho Beomsu, Head of Hyundai Motor Company Exterior Design Division (aged 42), and Kwon Hyeryeong, Head of Hyundai Engineering & Construction Plant Technology Sales Team (aged 45).
Additionally, 30% of all those promoted were in R&D and key technology fields, continuing the group's philosophy of prioritizing technical talent. The group focused on appointing talent in areas directly linked to core future strategies, such as Seo Junghoon, Head of Battery Design (aged 47), and Kim Deokhwan, Head of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Design 1 (aged 48).
By aggressively recruiting top global talent, the group is further enhancing its insight into market environments and core supply chain management capabilities. As head of the HMG Management Research Institute, which serves as Hyundai Motor Group's think tank, the group has recruited Ted Shin, Professor of Economics at Washington University in St. Louis, as executive vice president.
A Hyundai Motor Group representative stated, "Through this executive appointment, we are turning the crisis of global uncertainty into an opportunity for organizational renewal and a new leap forward, boldly pursuing personnel and leadership changes. We will continue to make innovative appointments and investments to secure overwhelming competitiveness in the SDV race."
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