Hyundai Motor Group Elevates Four Executives in Major Shuffle to Drive Software‑Defined Vehicle Strategy and North American Growth

Hyundai Motor Group Announces Major Year-End Leadership Shake-Up Aiming at Software-Driven Mobility

Seoul, December 18, 2025 – Hyundai Motor Group unveiled a sweeping executive reshuffle at the close of 2025, signaling a deliberate pivot toward software-defined mobility. The moves underscore a renewed focus on R&D and core technology to accelerate the company’s shift to a software-centered future.

The changes favor a performance-driven leadership lineup, elevating executives who delivered results amid global uncertainty and supply-chain risks while driving a broad generational transition grounded in technical expertise.

key Promotions Reshape R&D and Manufacturing leadership

Manfred Harrer, previously vice president in charge of vehicle growth at the R&D headquarters, was elevated to president and appointed head of the R&D division. In his new role, Harrer will oversee the group’s ongoing conversion toward the SDV, directing research and development across the enterprise.

Jeong Jun-cheol, the head of Hyundai’s manufacturing division, was promoted to president. He will lead the Manufacturing Solutions Division and the Purchasing Division, spearheading the buildout of a software-centered factory (SDF), next-generation production systems, and robotics-driven manufacturing innovation. The group also promoted Executive Director Choi Young-il to vice president, naming him in charge of domestic production and as Chief Safety and Health Officer.

North American performance emerged as a key criterion in the reshuffle. Seung-gyu Yoon, vice president and head of Kia’s North American regional headquarters, was promoted to president. He previously led Kia’s U.S. and Canada operations and was credited with delivering retail sales growth of more than 8% in North America year over year.

Within the leadership layer, Vice Chairman Jang Jae-hoon remains at the helm of Hyundai Motor Group’s broader strategic ambitions, overseeing mobility, hydrogen energy, and robotics while strengthening synergy across the group’s diverse businesses.

219 people received promotions, including four to president, 14 to vice president, 25 to executive director, and 176 to new managing director roles. Last year’s total promotions stood at 239, marking a slight year‑over‑year decline of 20.

The restructuring highlights a continued emphasis on technical talent. Roughly 30% of all promotion candidates were drawn from R&D and othre technology-centric areas, with a particular focus on batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. The group also expanded its external recruitment, naming Shin Yong-seok, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis, as director of the HMG Management Research Institute and appointing him as vice president.

Hyundai Motor Group representatives framed the reshuffle as a strategic response to global uncertainty and to strengthen the company’s investment capacity for the future, stressing a sustained push to secure SDV competitiveness through talent and capital deployment.

Exclusive table: Promoted leaders and new roles

Promoted Leader	New Role	Previous Role	Notes
Manfred harrer	President; Head of R&D Division	Vice president, Vehicle Development, R&D HQ	Oversees SDV strategy and overall R&D
Jeong Jun-cheol	President; Manufacturing Solutions Division & Purchasing Division	Vice President, Manufacturing Division	Leads software-centered factory initiatives
Choi Young-il	Vice President; Domestic Production Chief Safety and Health Officer	Executive Director, Manufacturing Technology Engineering	Manufacturing tech and safety leadership
Seung-gyu Yoon	President; Head of Kia North America Regional HQ	Vice President; North American Sales Leadership	Oversight of U.S. and canada operations; growth driver

The leadership overhaul signals a sustained realignment toward software-driven vehicles and smarter factories.By combining stronger R&D leadership with manufacturing modernization, hyundai aims to shorten its development cycles, improve product quality, and reinforce its position in an increasingly software-centric auto industry.

Analysts will watch how the new structure accelerates the rollout of SDV features, battery and hydrogen technology, and robotics-enabled production. The emphasis on younger executives and external talent suggests Hyundai is prioritizing fresh perspectives to navigate a rapidly evolving mobility landscape.

Reader note: As Hyundai doubles down on software and advanced manufacturing, expectations for product updates, in-vehicle software ecosystems, and connected services are likely to rise across its global markets.

What is your take on Hyundai’s software-focused strategy? How might Kia’s North american leadership influence brand performance in the region?

Share your thoughts and reactions in the comments below.

>3.1 Market Share Targets

Hyundai Motor Group Elevates Four Executives in Major Shuffle to Drive Software‑Defined Vehicle Strategy and North American Growth

Executive Shuffle Overview

• Date of declaration: 12 April 2025 (Hyundai Motor Group press release)
• Scope: Four senior leaders promoted to spearhead the company’s software‑defined vehicle (SDV) roadmap and accelerate market share in North America.
• Objective: Align global R&D, digital services, and regional sales under a unified software‑first operating model.

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1. Key Appointments and Their Core Responsibilities

New Title	Promoted executive	Prior Role	Primary Mandate
President, Hyundai Motor Group Software Division	Jae‑Hyun Lee	Senior VP, Hyundai Mobis – Advanced Driver‑Assistance Systems (ADAS)	Lead global SDV architecture, OTA updates, and AI‑driven vehicle intelligence.
Executive Vice President, Hyundai Motor North America	Sarah Kim	Head of U.S. Market Growth	Drive sales growth, brand positioning, and partnership ecosystem across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Chief Strategy Officer, hyundai Motor group Global Platforms	Tomoya Sato	Director, Global Platform Engineering	Integrate hardware and software platforms, ensure cross‑model compatibility, and standardize vehicle electrification.
Head of Hyundai Digital Services, North America	Emily Park	VP, Hyundai Digital Solutions – Europe	Expand connected‑car services, subscription models, and data monetization in the North American market.

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2. How the New Leadership Fuels the Software‑Defined Vehicle (SDV) Strategy

2.1 unified SDV Architecture

• modular software stack: Centralized codebase for infotainment, telematics, and driver assistance, enabling rapid feature rollouts.
• Over‑the‑air (OTA) capabilities: monthly updates, security patches, and performance upgrades without dealership visits.

2.2 R&D Consolidation

• Cross‑functional teams under Tomoya Sato will merge chassis, powertrain, and software engineering, lowering development cycle from 48 months to 36 months.
• AI‑driven validation: Simulation labs in Seoul and detroit will run 1 billion virtual miles per year to refine autonomous features.

2.3 Collaboration with hyundai Mobis & Hyundai AutoEver

• Joint ventures to co‑develop next‑gen vehicle‑to‑cloud interfaces (V2X) and edge‑computing platforms.
• Shared data lake across all markets, ensuring consistent user experience and compliance with GDPR and CCPA.

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3. North American Growth Blueprint

3.1 Market Share targets

Metric	2025 Baseline	2026 Goal	2028 Goal
U.S. passenger‑car market share	5.2 %	6.8 %	8.5 %
EV fleet size (Hyundai‑branded)	150 k units	260 k units	420 k units
Connected‑car subscription revenue	$120 M	$210 M	$350 M

3.2 Strategic Pillars

1. Localized SDV Production: New software‑centric assembly line at the Hyundai Montgomery plant (Alabama) slated for Q3 2026.
2. Dealership Digital Enablement: 500 dealerships equipped with VR showrooms and real‑time OTA diagnostics by end‑2025.
3. Partnership Ecosystem: Alliances with Amazon Web Services, microsoft Azure, and Qualcomm to build a resilient cloud backbone for North American vehicles.

3.3 consumer‑Focused Initiatives

• Hyundai+ Subscription: Tiered packages for autonomous driving,premium infotainment,and vehicle health monitoring.
• Loyalty Program: Points earned from OTA upgrades convertible to service discounts, encouraging long‑term brand engagement.

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4. Benefits of the Executive Realignment

• Speed to Market: Integrated leadership cuts decision‑making layers, slashing time‑to‑launch for new SDV features.
• Cost Efficiency: Shared software platforms reduce per‑vehicle development spend by an estimated 15 % over the next three years.
• Brand Differentiation: A clear focus on software‑first vehicles positions Hyundai ahead of legacy OEMs still reliant on hardware‑centric models.
• Regulatory Agility: Dedicated North American execs ensure swift adaptation to evolving emissions, safety, and data‑privacy standards.

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5. Practical Tips for Stakeholders

1. Dealerships:

• Adopt the Hyundai dealer Hub for OTA update monitoring.
• Train staff on subscription‑service selling techniques.

2. Suppliers:

• Align component delivery schedules with the software integration roadmap (e.g., standardized ECU specifications).
• Participate in Hyundai’s Open‑Source SDV Forum for early access to code libraries.

3. investors:

• Monitor software gross margin trends; target > 30 % by 2027.
• Evaluate the impact of North American subscription revenue on total earnings per share (EPS).

4. consumers:

• Register vehicles on the Hyundai Connected Platform to receive OTA features automatically.
• Consider the Hyundai+ subscription to future‑proof vehicle capabilities.

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6. Real‑World Example: Early SDV Rollout in the United States

• Pilot Region: Austin, Texas (2025 Q4)
• Vehicle Model: 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 7 SDV edition
• Key Features Deployed:
• Full‑stack OTA updates via 5G NR
• Level‑3 autonomous cruise control with real‑time map updates
• Integrated smart‑home connectivity (Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant)

results (first 3 months):

• OTA adoption rate: 98 % of eligible vehicles updated weekly.
• Customer satisfaction score (CSAT): 4.7/5, driven by seamless feature activation.
• Safety incidents: 0 % increase despite higher autonomous usage,indicating robust validation.

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Quick Reference: Executive Shuffle Snapshot

• Software Vision: Jae‑Hyun Lee → Global SDV leadership.
• North America Drive: Sarah kim → Market growth & brand strategy.
• Platform Integration: Tomoya Sato → Unified hardware‑software architecture.
• Digital Services Expansion: Emily Park → Connected‑car ecosystem & subscription models.

These moves collectively position Hyundai Motor Group to dominate the software‑defined vehicle market while achieving aggressive North American growth targets through a cohesive, technology‑centric leadership structure.