Kia has enhanced its capabilities for the PBV (Purpose-Built Vehicle) business by hiring PBV business expert Pierre Martin Beaux, who has 25 years of experience in B2B (business-to-business) and commercial vehicle sales, marketing, and integrated solutions.
On the 10th, Kia announced that it has brought Pierre Martin Beaux on board as the overall head of the PBV business for its European division (Kia EU).
Pierre Martin Beaux (born in 1974, France) started his career in 1999 at Fiat Group in Italy, where he was responsible for B2B operations. He has since worked across various brands under the Stellantis Group, handling commercial vehicle sales, marketing, client relationship management, and business oversight globally across Europe and Africa.
In his new role, Pierre Martin Beaux will primarily focus on customer and demand discovery in core markets like Europe, establishing sales networks, customer management, and developing dedicated business frameworks for integrated solutions.
Additionally, he will play a crucial role in seeking collaboration opportunities with global clients to optimize product supply for purpose-built vehicles and will contribute significantly to refining Kia’s global PBV business strategy.
During the ‘2023 Investor Day’ held in April, Kia emphasized a ‘customer-centric management system’, declaring that the PBV business, which offers vehicle products and mobility services tailored to customer needs, will become a core future business for Kia.
To achieve this, Kia has introduced a customer participation development process that allows for the incorporation of customer feedback starting from the product and service development stage, and is also constructing a dedicated production facility targeting annual production of 150,000 PBVs, with mass production aimed for 2025.
Following the launch of the first PBV model equipped with a dedicated platform in 2025, Kia plans to establish a full lineup of PBVs ranging from small to large models, with specialized solution packages focusing on software, as well as a dedicated sales network.
A Kia representative stated, “Pierre Martin Beaux is the top expert in the industry with extensive experience in B2B operations, business vehicle sales, customer communication, and business oversight.” They further noted, “We expect that the recruitment of such talent and strengthening of organizational capabilities will help us build an innovative PBV business structure centered around the customer, contributing to demand generation not only in Europe but also in major markets like North America and Korea.”
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr