Claudia Márquez was named COO of Hyundai Motor America, the automaker announced Jan. 14.
Márquez will lead the company’s U.S. business operations and growth strategies, including sales, distribution, product line management and aftersales activities, the company said in the release. She also will have shared responsibility for dealer network development for Hyundai vehicles in the U.S.
The COO role is a new position for Hyundai Motor America, company spokesman Ira Gabriel wrote in an email to Automotive Dive. Márquez’s appointment was effective Jan. 13.
“Claudia's extensive experience and proven track record of driving growth and building brands make her a perfect addition to lead the Hyundai team,” Randy Parker, CEO of Hyundai and Genesis Motor North America, said in the announcement. “Her vision and commitment to excellence align perfectly with Hyundai's mission to drive growth and deliver exceptional value to our customers and dealers.”
Parker, who was appointed the North America CEO Jan. 1, and Márquez’s appointment follow hundreds of mid-level and other high-ranking executive moves the automaker made in recent months. It’s part of the company’s strategy to place leaders with successful track records in positions to guide it through uncertainties in the global business environment.
Previously, Márquez was COO of Genesis Motor North America where she led the luxury brand for the past three years. During that time, Genesis set new annual sales records and grew market share, the company said.
Under Márquez’s leadership, the Genesis brand’s U.S. retail network expanded to over than 60 facilities, with more in various phases of development, according to Hyundai.
Márquez has more than three decades of automotive leadership and executive experience, which included time with BMW Group Mexico, Mini in Mexico, Nissan Motor Corp. and its luxury brand Infiniti, according to her LinkedIn profile.
