Kia Motors Europe has appointed a new president to coordinate the brand’s continued sales growth across the region.
Based at Kia’s European headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, Mr. Yong Kew Park, will be responsible for overseeing the brand’s sales and business growth strategies across Europe. With a career spanning more than 30 years, Park brings extensive knowledge of the company and its products to the senior management role.
Park joins Kia Motors Europe from Kia Motors Russia, where he had been President since the start of 2016. During Park’s Russian tenure, Kia vehicles came to account for more than one in 10 new car sales – more than any other foreign brand. Prior to his position at Kia Motors Russia, Park held a number of other overseas positions within the company – including Head of Sales at Dongfeng Yueda Kia Motor Co in China during 2015 and 2016; regional president of Kia Motors Central and South America from 2012 to 2014; Chief Executive Coordinator at Kia Motors America in 2011; and regional manager for Kia Motors in Africa and the Middle East between 2007 and 2010.
Park replaces Mr. Ho Sung Song, following his promotion to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the newly-created Global Operations Division at the company’s global headquarters in Seoul, Korea.
On taking up his new position in Kia Motors Europe at the end of October, Yong Kew Park commented: “I have been fortunate to gain extensive experience of Kia and its operations around the world, providing me with very useful insight into the business and the wider new car market. I am joining Kia Motors Europe at an exciting time for the company, with a range of new vehicles helping to drive the brand to new heights. I am confident that the experience I can bring to the role will help Kia continue strengthen its position within the European market.”
Kia’s European sales have risen to 364,924 units, year-to-date*, representing an increase of 8.1% year-on-year. This brings Kia’s cumulative share of the European market to 3.0%, up from 2.9% during the first nine months of 2016.
*Source: ACEA, EU28 + EFTA countries, January-to-September 2017
