16 June 2021 – Kia Europe has appointed Steffen Cost as its new Vice President of Operations. His appointment comes as COO Emilio Herrera departs the European team and takes up a new position as President and CEO of Kia Iberia. Cost will be based at Kia’s European headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, and will report to the company’s president, Jason Jeong.
Cost will be responsible for sustaining Kia Europe’s sales growth and will oversee the roll-out of 11 new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) by 2026, with deliveries of the first, the Kia EV6 crossover, expected across Europe in the fourth quarter of 2021. He will also oversee Kia’s continued commitment to providing Kia customers with the very best ownership experience.
Cost brings with him more than 20 years’ experience in the European automotive sector. He has held the role of Managing Director for Kia Germany since March 2015, during which time Kia has become one of the fastest-growing volume brands in Germany. His successful business development strategy at Kia Germany resulted in turnover of €1.5 billion.
Emilio Herrera has been appointed as the new President and CEO of Kia Iberia, where he will lead Kia’s operations in the Spanish market. Mr. Herrera has served as COO for Kia Europe since April 2018, where he has overseen a successful period of sales for the Korean brand in the region. Last year saw Kia Europe’s highest-ever annual market share, up from 3.2% to 3.5%, despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Emilio leaves Kia Europe in a very strong position to continue its transformation as a leader in the future automotive industry, with a clear focus on vehicle electrification and connectivity. I’m sure his strong leadership will be a great asset to our colleagues at Kia Iberia”, said Jason Jeong. He added: “I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Steffen, who will play an instrumental role in launching our next generation EVs, beginning with the EV6 crossover.”
