Hyundai Group executive chair Euisun Chung named 'Person of the Year'

MANILA: Euisun Chung, the executive chair of Hyundai Motor Group, received the MotorTrend Person of the Year title after topping the publication's prestigious 2023 Power List.

Each year, the 50 most important people in the world's automotive industry are ranked by the MotorTrend Power List. Executive Chair Chung has steadily climbed the power list over the previous five years, from his initial appearance at Number 12 in 2018 to Number 5 in 2022 and now Number 1 in 2023.

MotorTrend named Chung ‘Person of the Year’ for “leading Hyundai Motor Group into a new age.” It also highlighted the exceptional caliber of the vehicles developed under Chung’s watch, stating: “The vehicles coming out of Hyundai Motor Group are notable for their eye-catching design, quality, clever packaging, and good value – and they are proving increasingly difficult to beat.”

This latest critical acclaim follows a proliferation of MotorTrend awards for the Hyundai Group’s models, which include the Genesis G90 being hailed as the automotive media brand’s 2023 Car of the Year and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 named its 2023 SUV of the Year. Previously, the Genesis GV70 and Kia Telluride took similar honors. “Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia have been hitting balls out of the park repeatedly,” asserted MotorTrend.

MotorTrend praised Chung's future outlook in addition to his competence in charting the road for the Group's current success. It acknowledged his capacity to consider the "big picture" and to start solutions that are typically seen as being outside the purview of the automobile sector.

“As Executive Chair, Chung is putting his stamp on the company’s future. His grasp of where the world and the industry are headed, combined with a desire to make the planet a better place, spurs a broader mission to become a leader in electric vehicles and advanced mobility,” observed MotorTrend. It also highlighted the Group’s pioneering role in smart city planning and a myriad of mobility solutions, including robots and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).

Also ranked on MotorTrend’s Power List are Luc Donckerwolke, President and Chief Creative Officer of Hyundai Motor Group; Jose Muñoz, President and Global Chief Operating Officer of Hyundai Motor Company; SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Global Design Center; and Karim Habib, Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design Center.

Previously praised for his innovative ideas, Chung received the coveted Issigonis Trophy at the 2021 Autocar Awards and was named Newsweek's "Visionary of the Year" at its inaugural World's Greatest Auto Disruptors event in 2022.

At a New Year town hall meeting held at the Hyundai Group's Namyang R&D Center earlier in January, Chung emphasized his ongoing dedication to the success of the Hyundai Group. He exhorted everyone in the company to put forth every effort to guarantee that its clients receive the greatest products and services available.

“We must take on challenges based on trust, and the positive results must lead to even stronger trust. No great product or technology is complete without the trust of our customers,” affirmed Chung. "Quality is a priority for all of us. From product planning to design, production, sales, and after-sales maintenance, all teams and employees must place quality and the customer as the top priority. We must all go above and beyond to earn the respect and loyalty of our customers.”

Photos from Hyundai

Also read: Hyundai Ioniq 6 named ‘Best in Class’ Large Family Car by Euro NCAP