Hyundai Boss bags ‘Visionary Of The Year’ award

Hyundai Motor Group’s Executive Chair, Euisun Chung, has won the ‘Visionary of the Year’ award at the inaugural Newsweek World’s Greatest Auto Disrupters event.

A statement explained that the World’s Greatest Auto Disruptors 2022 programme has evolved from Newsweek America’s 50 Greatest Disruptors – a list of visionaries, innovators and pioneers – introduced in 2021. The new awards recognize agents of change in the automotive industry who are using technology in ways that will profoundly and positively impact people’s lives.

One of six awards conferred at the event, ‘Visionary of the Year’ is given to a leader who is taking significant actions to shape the future of the automotive industry now and over the next 30 years.

Newsweek recognized Chung for his significant role in the rise of Hyundai and Kia in the global automotive industry. Under his leadership and bold vision for the future, the Group is redefining what is possible in mobility, and providing greater freedom of movement for humanity through vehicle electrification, robotics and advanced air mobility (AAM).

“Today’s leading automakers are pushing the boundaries in ways that keep us moving and also capture the imagination. The disruptors on this list deserve to be recognized for pushing the industry forward, as well as for their leadership in responding to the challenges brought on by the pandemic,” said Nancy Cooper, Global Editor in Chief, Newsweek.

Receiving the award, Executive Chair Chung said: “On behalf of everyone at Hyundai Motor Group, I would like to thank Newsweek for these three prestigious awards. They reflect the hard work of all our people and business partners, who are focused on transforming the Group into a smart mobility solutions provider with sustainability at the core of what we do. Their dedication to making disruptive technologies a reality is why I am here to share this honour.”

He added, “I have always believed cars are a way to connect people. There’s nothing more human than the insatiable desire to explore, to imagine and to make progress. Mobility quite literally brings people together. And when we work together, human beings are capable of extraordinary things.

“Hyundai Motor Group is committed to making our mobility vision a reality to benefit all humanity. We want to enable more time and more space for everyone to do what truly drives them. Of course, Hyundai Motor Group cannot achieve this alone. I hope that our vision inspires the imaginations of talented people all over the world, and that they will join us in solving the greatest challenges facing humanity,” said Chung in finishing his speech.

In all, the Group won three out of the six awards given at the World’s Greatest Auto Disrupters 2022 event. Newsweek also honored the Group for ‘Research and Development Team of the Year’ and ‘Powertrain Evolution of the Year’.

The Group’s Vehicle Architecture Development Center was the awarded ‘Research and Development Team of the Year’ for developing Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), and the Group’s Electrified Propulsion Technology Unit was awarded ‘Powertrain Evolution of the Year’ for developing an 800-volt battery system. Both awards reflect the Group’s continuing efforts to innovate and to bring new mobility solutions to market.

Under Chung’s leadership, the Group is accelerating its deployment of robotics and AAM technologies and exploring their role in future smart city development. Chung is also spearheading the Group’s transformation into a provider of human-centered mobility solutions.

The Group is advancing the commercialisation of robot products through its robotics affiliate Boston Dynamics. Earlier this year at CES, the Group announced its robotics vision, which connects robots and the Metaverse to create a ‘MetaMobility,’ expanding mobility into the virtual world.

For autonomous driving, the Group is working through Motional, a joint venture with Aptiv, to develop revolutionary yet safe autonomous driving technology that will be showcased through the IONIQ 5 robotaxi to be commercialised in 2023.

The Group’s affiliate Supernal will develop electrified advanced air mobility (AAM) by 2028 for use in urban areas. While adding a new dimension to mobility, it is also aimed at revolutionising how people and society move, connect and live.

The Group has also made significant advances in electrification with the introduction of the award-winning advanced battery electric vehicles (BEVs), the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6. Both use the Group’s dedicated BEV platform, the E-GMP. With a highly competitive product line-up, the Group aims to achieve annual BEV sales of 3.07 million units by 2030.

In addition to electrification, the Group is also actively creating a hydrogen energy ecosystem, working with external partners and acquiring key capabilities such as power generation through the use of fuel cells.

Chung has also overseen the launch of Hyundai Motor Company’s high-performance N brand, and the Genesis luxury brand.

Additionally, Chung was responsible for bringing in world-renowned designers including Peter Schreyer and Luc Donckerwolke to the Group. They established Hyundai and Kia as design leaders with highly desirable products that appeal to a new generation of car buyers, resulting in numerous design awards for Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands.

Chung was President of Kia from 2005 to 2009 before becoming Vice Chairman and then Executive Vice Chairman of the Group, with responsibility for diverse affiliate companies in the automotive, steel and construction industries, including Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation. He was inaugurated as Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group in October 2020.

Under Chung’s leadership, a new corporate culture is being established, encouraging people to try new things, think creatively and to be proactive. He believes that the company’s great transformation can be shaped by its employees, harnessing their talents and enthusiasm to accelerate change.

Chung’s leadership has been recognized with many prestigious industry accolades, including the Issigonis Trophy awarded by Autocar, and he was named one of the Top 200 New Generation Industry Leaders by the World Economic Forum.