Kia Motors India on Tuesday announced the appointment of Tae-Jin Park as the executive director of sales, marketing and network development departments of the company. Park will replace Yong S Kim, who played a significant part in establishing the brand in the domestic market.
In his earlier role, Park served as the head of operations for the Middle East, Africa and Asian markets. He also served as the head of sales operation of the Mexican subsidiary of Kia Motor Corporation.
“Park has replaced Yong S. Kim, who has played an instrumental role in establishing Kia in India and making it a household name. Kim has led the establishment of the widest network for a new automobile brand in India. He has contributed to positioning the brand amongst the top five automobile manufacturers in just four months of operations. Kim is moving back to Kia Motors Corporation Head Quarters in Seoul,” the company said.
Kia has so far outlined a very aggressive strategy for India, starting its journey with a capacity of 300,000 vehicles a year and 265 touch points — a mix of dealerships and service centres — across 160 cities. The subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group has invested around $1 billion in India.
“We have witnessed a huge demand for Seltos in India and the love for brand Kia grows continuously. We are confident with Park’s joining, Kia will grow from strength to strength. With the launch of Carnival and our compact SUV lined up this year, I am sure he will help us propel forward the success of Seltos and find a place for Kia cars in many more households in India,” added Kookhyun Shim, managing director and chief executive, Kia Motors India.
The company has recently started a second shift to accommodate the demand for its first product, Seltos, a mid-sized SUV.
During October, which had a slew of festivals, the South Korean company reported wholesales of 12,859 units, higher than peers like Ford, Volkswagen, Nissan and Renault.
Source: Livemint
