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Marc Hedrich appointed as President and CEO of Kia Europe
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Marc Hedrich to join regional HQ in Frankfurt on 1 January 2024, taking responsibility for Kia’s European commercial and manufacturing operations.
Kia has announced that Marc Hedrich will join the European regional headquarters in the position of President and CEO, starting on 1 January 2024. With this appointment, he will continue his career with Kia, having held senior management positions at the company since 2015 – most recently as President of Kia France. He takes over from Won Jeong Jeong, who has held the role for the last four years.
Marc Hedrich will bring a wealth of experience to his new position, having fulfilled senior management roles at both national and regional level for more than 30 years in the automotive industry. As well as his most recent role as President of Kia France, he served in senior positions in leading automotive companies. Throughout his time with the Kia brand, he has helped drive forward all areas of strategy and operations – from sales, marketing and product to customer service and retail.
Marc Hedrich, incoming President and CEO of Kia Europe, commented: “The European market is playing an important role in the brand’s worldwide efforts to become a leading EV brand by launching 15 EVs by 2027 and by raising the proportion of electrified car sales to 55% in 2030. Going forward, the European team will continue its bold transformation process to become a sustainable mobility solutions provider, with a focus on our people, planet and profit. I’m excited to work with the strong European team to contribute to this goal.”
Won Jeong Jeong joined Kia Europe in 2020, and since then has successfully led the business through its transformation into a regional headquarters. Established under his leadership, Kia continued to become a sustainable mobility provider with a stronger focus on brand management and electrified solutions. Furthermore, the company culture evolved, and Kia employees assessed Kia a “Great Place to Work” in 2023, placing Kia Europe in the top 20% of employers worldwide.
Mr. Jeong commented: “Right now, Kia is delivering an electrifying moment in Europe, not just with game-changing electric vehicles, but also with innovative connected services that enhance the customer experience and pave the way for even more sustainable mobility solutions. The strong sales performance of the past years is not just a reflection of the European Kia team efforts, it also proves the quality and versatility of Kia products, brand and the popularity in Europe. I thank the Kia team for the great collaboration leading to our success.”
Marc Hedrich graduated from the European Business School before starting his career at Ford France in the 1990’s. From there, he joined Škoda France as Marketing Director and later took the same position at Seat France. In 2003, Hedrich moved to Toyota France, again as Marketing Director, and for the following twelve years he held various strategic positions for both Toyota France and Toyota Europe. In 2015, Hedrich was appointed Managing Director for Kia France before becoming President and CEO of the subsidiary in January 2021.