Hyundai Motor America Inc. named Brian Smith chief operating officer.
The hire follows its appointment of Kyung Soo “Kenny” Lee last month to the president and chief executive roles. Smith has “success in empowering organizations, driving change in future retailing and exceeding expectations,” Lee said in a statement.
He spent 35 years at Toyota and Lexus, retiring last month as vice president of retail transformation.
Toyota recently moved its North American headquarters from Torrance to Texas.
Hyundai’s woes include lower sales, a recent recall and a production line focused on cars over competitive crossovers and other utility-type vehicles, according to trade journal Automotive News, which said the COO position hasn’t been occupied for about a decade.
Next year the carmaker plans to introduce the Kona, a smaller sports utility vehicle—a “mini-ute” in auto industry lingo.
— Paul Hughes
