Hyundai Appoints Yukontorn Wisadkosin as ASEAN President

Hyundai Motor Asia Pacific (HMAP) announced on March 2, 2026 the appointment of Yukontorn "Vickie" Wisadkosin as ASEAN President, placing her in charge of integrated operations across Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

New Role Consolidates Five-Market ASEAN Operations

Wisadkosin will report directly to Don Romano, the recently appointed President of Hyundai Motor Asia Pacific. The structure creates a two-tier Asia Pacific leadership model, with Romano overseeing the regional headquarters and Wisadkosin leading ASEAN operations directly.

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Her mandate includes translating HMAP's broader Asia Pacific strategy into coordinated action across all five markets, strengthening regional alignment, and supporting long-term growth, according to the company.

Romano cited Wisadkosin's qualifications in the announcement. "Vickie's regional expertise, leadership capability, and deep understanding of ASEAN markets make her exceptionally well-suited to lead Hyundai's next phase of growth in the region," he said. Romano also noted the appointment reflects "our commitment to strengthening global female leadership within Hyundai."

Wisadkosin brings over 20 years of senior automotive leadership to the role. Most recently, she served as President of ASEAN Markets and Asia Pacific Distributor Markets at Ford, where she led multi-country expansion across the region. She was appointed Managing Director of Ford Thailand in 2013 and elevated to Ford ASEAN President in October 2017.

"I am honored to join Hyundai Motor Asia Pacific and excited to work with teams across ASEAN," Wisadkosin said. "Together, we will build stronger regional alignment, accelerate transformation, and deliver long-term value for our customers and partners."

Appointment Comes Amid Intensifying Competition in Southeast Asia

The appointment follows a period of significant competitive pressure across ASEAN's automotive markets. Chinese OEM brands, led by BYD, now hold approximately 20% market share in Thailand, with BYD exporting to 113 markets globally.

Malaysia overtook Indonesia as ASEAN's top auto sales market in 2025, recording 820,752 units sold. Electrified vehicles accounted for 8.45% of those sales. Thailand's EV market is projected to reach 28% of total vehicle sales by 2035.

Hyundai's global target is 60% electrified sales by 2030, as part of a broader goal of 5.55 million total global unit sales. Wisadkosin's five-market mandate places her at the center of executing that electrification roadmap across Southeast Asia.

In early 2026, Hyundai also partnered with Malaysia's Investment Development Authority in a localization program involving 36 Hyundai tier-1 suppliers and 12 Malaysian vendors, with four MoUs signed between Malaysian and Korean vendors.

Leadership Move Stands Apart From Hyundai's Routine Annual Appointments

Hyundai Motor Group's December 2025 year-end executive appointments focused on steel, manufacturing, and Kia divisions. No ASEAN leadership changes were announced at that time.

The March 2026 ASEAN President appointment is a standalone move, coming shortly after Romano's own elevation to HMAP President. The sequenced timing points to a deliberate organizational build-out for Asia Pacific rather than a routine reshuffle.

Hyundai CEO José Muñoz has publicly emphasized flexibility of strategy across markets as a 2026 priority, while Executive Chair Euisun Chung has called for agile decision-making. The creation of a dedicated ASEAN President role operationalizes both directives at the regional level.

Wisadkosin is based across the five-market ASEAN territory and will begin executing her mandate immediately following the March 2 announcement.