Hyundai Firing Squad

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

While the Detroit 2.5 are busy writing plans, maybe they should take a page out of the competition’s playbook. Or maybe not, if they want to keep their jobs. Kim Jong-eun, has been CEO of Hyundai North America since December 2007. “Has been” is the operative word. He’s gone after having been on the job for less than a year. North America accounts for a fifth of Hyundai’s global sales, and Hyundai is the world’s fifth largest auto maker. They want to change both. They are now looking for a local, Reuters reports. The way things stand in Detroit, there should not be a shortage of possible applicants. Or maybe, there is. The job is hazardous. Kim was the third chief executive for Hyundai North America to be fired in two years. The Koreans seem to have a low tolerance for fools failure.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Oldyak Oldyak on Nov 26, 2008

    oh my god! you cant sell Hyundai's so you must go..... I can only imagine the smile on that executive`s face when he was canned! At least he wasn't required to kill himself! Free at last..Free at last! NO MORE HYUNDAI`S...Free at last!

  • Oldyak Oldyak on Nov 26, 2008

    oh my god! "you cant sell Hyundai's so you must go" hilarious..... I can only imagine the smile on that executive`s face when he was canned! At least he wasn't required to kill himself! Free at last..Free at last! NO MORE HYUNDAI`S...Free at last! and by the way....why would Autoextremist want to involve themselves in this?? They are way to busy defending OUR auto industry to waist precious time and resources on Korean JUNK! oops,I said it...the 'Junk' word sorry! I SURE WONT DO THAT AGAIN ON TTAC

  • Mel23 Mel23 on Nov 26, 2008

    Taken in their entirety, the actions of Hyundai prove incompetent and dysfunctional management at the top of the Corporation beyond any doubt. Oh, I left out criminal. I think it was the US sales chief who was called out of a meeting with dealers and fired on the spot. "Don't return to the meeting; leave." This happened a couple of years ago. Somehow the engineering and manufacturing arms must be given some slack to run their shows, at least so far. I've driven a few of their offerings, and only the Accent was outright terrible to the point of being scary, but I don't see putting money into one when so many other saner options are available.

  • Scorched Earth Scorched Earth on Nov 27, 2008

    "Has been" = two words, or one operative phrase

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