Park Jeong-guk, head of Hyundai Motor Group’s R&D division (president), will step down from the front line and be appointed as an advisor.
Kim Yong-hwa, currently the head of the Vehicle Control Development Center and the R&D Planning Coordination Office (vice president), has been appointed as the new head of the R&D division to lead Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Technical Research Institute (Namyang Research Institute).
Having joined Hyundai Motor Company in 1984, President Park Jeong-guk is a living witness to Hyundai Motor Group’s R&D, having served in major positions such as the head of the American Technical Research Institute, the head of the Performance Development Center, and the head of the R&D Planning Coordination Office. He has also held the position of representative director at key affiliates including Hyundai Mobis, Hyundai Kefico, and Hyundai NGV, and took over as head of R&D in late 2021 after former president Albert Biermann.
Park has led a paradigm shift in R&D from a multi-business perspective focusing on electric vehicles (EVs), robotics, batteries, and hydrogen, contributing to Hyundai Motor Group achieving a global sales ‘Top 3’ with the successful launches of leading models such as the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, and Kia EV6. He has also significantly contributed to improving the organizational culture of the R&D division, known as ‘the heart of the group,’ leveraging his inclusive leadership and expertise.
Kwon Yong-hwa, currently vice president, has been appointed as the new head of R&D, succeeding Park Jeong-guk, who will retire on the 30th of this month. The new Mr. Kim is an expert in vehicle control development, having been brought into Hyundai Motor Group from Ford in 2015. During his tenure at Ford, he was recognized as a world authority in the field after independently developing engine control software that was applied to production vehicles.
Within the R&D division of Hyundai Motor Group, he has held key posts such as head of Powertrain (PT) Control Development, head of the Vehicle Control Development Center, and head of the R&D Planning Coordination Office, accumulating extensive experience in hardware (HW) and software (SW), production development, advanced development, vehicles, and new businesses.
As the head of the Vehicle Control Development Center, he led crucial development projects involving HW-SW integration strategies for infotainment, electronics, autonomous driving, chassis, and powertrain, as well as the integration of vehicle controllers. In addition, while simultaneously serving as head of the R&D Planning Coordination Office, he oversees major ongoing issues including EV transition and development strategy establishment and investment. Inside and outside Hyundai Motor Group, he is regarded as the right person to establish a SW-centered R&D system amid the global automotive industry’s shift towards Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs).
Hyundai Motor Group stated, “This appointment is intended to lead the paradigm shift in the automotive industry” and added, “We will continue to prioritize individuals with performance and capability, as well as those who can lead change and innovation.”
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr