[K-CEO] Euisun Chung, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung: A Visionary Leader Driving Smart Mobility Solutions

Euisun Chung serves as the Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, spearheading the company’s transformation into a smart mobility solutions provider. Under his leadership, Hyundai is focusing on offering integrated mobility services, including urban air mobility (UAM) and autonomous driving technologies, as part of its strategic shift beyond traditional automotive manufacturing.

Born on October 18, 1970, in Seoul, South Korea, Chung is the eldest son of Mong-Koo Chung, the Honorary Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group. He grew up in a family deeply rooted in the automotive industry, with three sisters and a legacy to uphold.

Chung attended Goojung Middle School and Whimoon High School in Seoul before earning a degree in Business Administration from Korea University. He later pursued further education in the United States, completing an MBA program at the University of San Francisco.

Chung began his career at Hyundai Precision & Industry Co., now known as Hyundai Mobis, as a manager. Following this, he gained international exposure by working at Itochu Corporation’s New York office before joining Hyundai Motor Company as a purchasing director.

He steadily climbed the ranks within the Hyundai Motor Group, serving as Deputy Head of the Domestic Sales Division and Vice Chief of the Planning Division for Hyundai and Kia Motors. In 2005, he was appointed CEO of Kia Motors, where he implemented a groundbreaking “design management” strategy, significantly enhancing Kia’s brand image and market presence.

Chung later served as Vice Chairman of Hyundai Motor Company, a role in which he championed global talent acquisition and brought a fresh, innovative approach to the company. In 2020, he was officially appointed Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, succeeding his father and marking a new era for the organization.

During his tenure as Kia Motors CEO, Chung revolutionized the company with a focus on bold and innovative designs. At Hyundai, he introduced global leadership talent, driving significant cultural and operational changes. His forward-looking vision has positioned Hyundai Motor Group as a leader in future mobility solutions, focusing on sustainability, electrification, and cutting-edge technologies.

Under Chung’s leadership, Hyundai Motor Group is intensifying efforts to redefine mobility by focusing on electric vehicles (EVs), hydrogen fuel cell technologies, and next-generation transportation systems. As the company strives to be a global leader in smart mobility, Chung remains committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions that connect people and improve lives.

With a strong foundation built on innovation, leadership, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, Euisun Chung is not only driving Hyundai Motor Group’s transformation but also shaping the future of mobility on a global scale.

At a New Year’s meeting on January 6, 2025, Chairman Chung urged his team to remain vigilant and innovative, stating, “We must guard against falling into complacency over past successes or adopting a pessimistic attitude in challenging times. Innovation is key to our progress.”

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung used his 2026 New Year’s address to lay out a clear long-term vision for the conglomerate, positioning artificial intelligence at the center of its transformation and underscoring ambitions to lead the next-generation industrial ecosystem. Amid rapid global shifts in technology and manufacturing, Chung reaffirmed Hyundai’s push to evolve beyond a traditional automaker into a technology-driven mobility, robotics and AI company.

In his message, Chung outlined five core priorities: restructuring the organization through deeper customer-centric thinking; sharpening decision-making based on clear-eyed assessments of market realities; expanding support for partners across the supply chain; accelerating ecosystem growth through bold collaboration with diverse partners; and setting new benchmarks for industries and products. Together, the agenda signals a move away from short-term performance metrics toward building long-term competitiveness rooted in technology and industrial ecosystems.

AI emerged as the central theme of this year’s address. Chung identified artificial intelligence as a core growth engine for the group, stressing that success will depend not merely on adopting AI tools but on deeply embedding AI capabilities across operations. Hyundai aims to integrate AI into areas where it already holds strengths — including manufacturing, quality control, robotics, autonomous driving and smart factories — to take a leading role in what it describes as the era of “physical AI,” where intelligence is directly applied to real-world systems and machines.

That strategic message has been reinforced by Chung’s actions early in the year. He traveled to Las Vegas to attend CES 2026, the world’s largest consumer electronics and IT trade show, where he personally reviewed emerging technologies and explored partnership opportunities. At the event, Hyundai Motor Group showcased AI-powered robotics, autonomous driving technologies and smart mobility solutions, highlighting its ambition to be seen not just as a carmaker, but as a front-runner in physical AI innovation.

Market attention intensified following reports that Chung met with Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang on the sidelines of CES. The meeting fueled speculation that Hyundai and Nvidia could further deepen cooperation across a wide range of physical AI applications, including autonomous driving, robotics, digital twins and AI semiconductors. Such collaboration would align with Hyundai’s broader strategy of rapidly scaling its software and AI capabilities through open partnerships with global technology leaders.

Chung’s direction for 2026 is unambiguous. As competition in future mobility shifts from hardware to technology, data and AI ecosystems, Hyundai believes maintaining leadership will require aggressive investment and fast execution. Customer-focused innovation, AI-driven improvements in manufacturing and products, and expanded global partnerships are expected to define the group’s management agenda throughout the year.

For Hyundai Motor Group, 2026 could mark a pivotal moment under Chung’s leadership — a year in which the company accelerates its evolution into a top-tier global mobility technology player built around AI. The message delivered at CES 2026 and in the New Year’s address makes clear that Hyundai’s vision now extends well beyond the automobile, toward a future shaped by intelligent, connected and AI-driven systems.