Hyundai Motor replaces four major regional heads to empower local leadership

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Hyundai Motor replaces four major regional heads to empower local leadership

Published: 11 Nov. 2025, 17:54 Updated: 11 Nov. 2025, 18:17

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung speaks during a New Year's ceremony at Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang in Goyang, Gyeonggi, on Jan. 6. [YONHAP]

Hyundai Motor has replaced the heads of its four major regional headquarters — in North America, Europe, India and China — with local executives.

The move reflects Hyundai’s focus on empowering local leadership and tailoring strategies to each market's respective region. Earlier this year, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung emphasized global talent mobility, saying, “Talent should be able to perform on the global stage, regardless of nationality.”

The change follows the appointment of Spanish executive Jose Muñoz as Hyundai Motor Company's CEO.

In India, Kim Eon-soo will step down as the regional headquarters head at the end of the year. Tarun Garg, the current COO, will take over as head and CEO starting Jan. 1.

Garg holds degrees from the Delhi Technological University and the Indian Institutes of Management. He began his career at Maruti Suzuki and has led Hyundai India’s digital transformation, premium distribution network expansion and EV strategies. He is widely seen as a field-oriented leader with strong market insights and execution ability.

Hyundai Motor India sold over 590,000 vehicles in India last year, driven by strong SUV sales — with exports also rebounding — securing the No. 2 market share after North America. It has an annual production capacity of 870,000 units through its two plants in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

The company, which went public last year, reported sales of 5.55 trillion won ($3.78 billion) and a net profit of 495.1 billion won for the first half of the year, down slightly from a year earlier due to a rise in global expenses and slower exports.

Because consumer demand in India varies widely by region and social class, the ability to respond sensitively and precisely is critical. There is growing demand for localized features such as Hindi-language voice recognition, high fuel efficiency and religion-inspired interior designs.

Li Fenggang, the newly appointed general manager of Hyundai Motor's joint venture Beijing Hyundai, left, and Tarun Garg, the current COO who will take over as head and CEO of Hyundai Motor's India Regional Headquarters on Jan. 1 [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

A similar shift is happening in China. For the first time in 23 years, Hyundai has appointed a local executive, Li Fenggang, as general manager of its joint venture Beijing Hyundai (BHMC).

Li previously led sales strategy and brand operations at FAW-Volkswagen and brings years of experience across planning and sales. He will oversee BHMC’s entire operation, from production to sales and strategy.

Hyundai once sold over one million vehicles annually in China, but sales plummeted following disputes over the U.S.-led antimissile Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, dropping to 170,000 units last year. However, the company is showing signs of recovery, having sold more than 140,000 units this year as of September.

The Hyundai Motor headquarters in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on April 25, 2024 [YONHAP]

To regain market share, Hyundai is launching the China-specific electric model “Elexio” and expanding its portfolio of models tailored to Chinese consumers.

While advanced markets like North America and Europe are focusing on the transition to electric and autonomous vehicles, emerging markets like India and China are prioritizing price competitiveness and cultural adaptation.

“These appointments are not just about performance accountability,” said Lee Ho-geun, a professor of automotive studies at Daeduk University. “They signal Hyundai’s effort to fundamentally transform its management structure in strategic, high-growth markets like India and China.”

Lee added, “India in particular is becoming Hyundai’s second most important market after North America in terms of global profit structure, so future personnel and strategy shifts will significantly impact performance.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK YOUNG-WOO [[email protected]]