NEU-ISENBURG, Germany — Hankook Tire & Technology Ltd. has promoted Sanghoon Lee to chief operation officer and president of Hankook Tire Europe, replacing Han-Jun Kim, who is taking on new responsibilities at the group's Seoul HQ.
Mr. Lee, 53, is a 27-year company veteran and most recently was chief operating officer of Hankook Tire China, where he played a "pivotal role" in the expansion of the company's market share during an eight-year assignment in China, Hankook said.
His new tasks include strengthening innovation and digitization at Hankook Europe, as it moves to "reposition itself for the new decade," the company said.
Hankook is an original equipment partner for a number of European automotive manufacturers, including Audi A.G., BMW A.G., Mercedes-Benz A.G. and Porsche A.G., as well as truck and bus makers MAN Group, Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Scania CV A.B. and Schmitz-Cargobull A.G.
The South Korea-based tire group has a European research and development center in Hanover, Germany, and a tire plant in Rácalmás, Hungary.
Europe represents about a third of Hankook's annual global sales.