Latest news with #non-Korean
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
How Hyundai Australia's new boss plans to reverse Korean brand's sales slide
Hyundai Australia has a new boss – Don Romano – and his mission is simple: turn the brand's fortunes around amid an onslaught of new challenger brands and the looming threat of federal emissions regulations. Mr Romano turned down retirement to join the local arm of Hyundai as the first-ever non-Korean CEO seven weeks ago, after successfully heading up Hyundai Canada for 11 years. By his own admission, he has faced a multitude of challenges in his roles elsewhere, but none quite compare to what he's up against Down Under. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. In 2025, auto brands in Australia have to contend with a saturated market containing no fewer than 60 separate brands – dozens more than you'll find in other major markets – with many more to come. Hyundai was among the nation's top brands until a few years ago, selling in excess of 100,000 vehicles between 2014 and 2016, before its sales declined to about 75,000 in 2023 and then 71,664 in 2024, placing it sixth on the league ladder behind Toyota (241,296 sales), Ford (100,170), Mazda (95,987), sister brand Kia (81,787), and Mitsubishi (74,547). Additionally, this year marks the start of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which includes a set of stringent emissions targets designed to reduce the carbon footprint of Australia's new vehicle market. Those factors, in combination with a host of other economic pressure points, render Australia a difficult place to do business according to Mr Romano. "There's nothing quite like it – you're talking 70 brands, whereas the markets I've worked in have had anywhere from 20 to 30 brands," said Mr Romano. "So we definitely have a unique challenge here that we don't see in other markets. I think the challenge is greater, but you also have a few brands that are very dominant here, more dominant here than they are in other markets. They're more dominant even though you have more brands, which is very unusual to me. "So the question is, how do you build a brand that can future proof itself sustainably against an onslaught of new entries?" "When it comes to NVES, there's going to be a lot of brands that are going to start falling apart because they're burying their heads in the sand." Mr Romano joins Hyundai Australia at an important juncture for the automaker, after annual sales declined by 4.7 per cent last year. Plans to reverse the trend include an injection of marketing investment, expansion of the model lineup, and a renewed focus on dealer engagement. Mr Romano will oversee the launch of several key models in the coming months and years, including the Inster compact electric vehicle (EV), the Ioniq 9 large electric SUV, and the next-generation Palisade large SUV and Nexo fuel-cell vehicle. Speaking with the media at the launch of the Inster, Hyundai's smallest and cheapest EV so far, Mr Romano said he planned to stop the sales decline and "not to go right up to 100,000, but to start growing again". "I'm not going to commit to any number other than growth – we're not going to go backwards," he said. "We've been going back for five, six years and we need to turn that corner. We're going to do it this year, and we're going to start going the other way sustainably and cautiously, through good brand management and ultimately new products." However, Mr Romano said the required sales growth wouldn't come from new battery-electric like the Inster and Ioniq 9 alone. EVs accounted for just 3.7 per cent of Hyundai's Australian sales last year, with a total of 2665 sales across its Kona, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 lines. The clock is ticking for Mr Romano, who expects to hold the Korean brand's local CEO role for no more than three years before transitioning towards retirement. "We need to future-proof our business, and that's why I'm here," he told CarExpert. MORE: Everything Hyundai Content originally sourced from: Hyundai Australia has a new boss – Don Romano – and his mission is simple: turn the brand's fortunes around amid an onslaught of new challenger brands and the looming threat of federal emissions regulations. Mr Romano turned down retirement to join the local arm of Hyundai as the first-ever non-Korean CEO seven weeks ago, after successfully heading up Hyundai Canada for 11 years. By his own admission, he has faced a multitude of challenges in his roles elsewhere, but none quite compare to what he's up against Down Under. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. In 2025, auto brands in Australia have to contend with a saturated market containing no fewer than 60 separate brands – dozens more than you'll find in other major markets – with many more to come. Hyundai was among the nation's top brands until a few years ago, selling in excess of 100,000 vehicles between 2014 and 2016, before its sales declined to about 75,000 in 2023 and then 71,664 in 2024, placing it sixth on the league ladder behind Toyota (241,296 sales), Ford (100,170), Mazda (95,987), sister brand Kia (81,787), and Mitsubishi (74,547). Additionally, this year marks the start of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which includes a set of stringent emissions targets designed to reduce the carbon footprint of Australia's new vehicle market. Those factors, in combination with a host of other economic pressure points, render Australia a difficult place to do business according to Mr Romano. "There's nothing quite like it – you're talking 70 brands, whereas the markets I've worked in have had anywhere from 20 to 30 brands," said Mr Romano. "So we definitely have a unique challenge here that we don't see in other markets. I think the challenge is greater, but you also have a few brands that are very dominant here, more dominant here than they are in other markets. They're more dominant even though you have more brands, which is very unusual to me. "So the question is, how do you build a brand that can future proof itself sustainably against an onslaught of new entries?" "When it comes to NVES, there's going to be a lot of brands that are going to start falling apart because they're burying their heads in the sand." Mr Romano joins Hyundai Australia at an important juncture for the automaker, after annual sales declined by 4.7 per cent last year. Plans to reverse the trend include an injection of marketing investment, expansion of the model lineup, and a renewed focus on dealer engagement. Mr Romano will oversee the launch of several key models in the coming months and years, including the Inster compact electric vehicle (EV), the Ioniq 9 large electric SUV, and the next-generation Palisade large SUV and Nexo fuel-cell vehicle. Speaking with the media at the launch of the Inster, Hyundai's smallest and cheapest EV so far, Mr Romano said he planned to stop the sales decline and "not to go right up to 100,000, but to start growing again". "I'm not going to commit to any number other than growth – we're not going to go backwards," he said. "We've been going back for five, six years and we need to turn that corner. We're going to do it this year, and we're going to start going the other way sustainably and cautiously, through good brand management and ultimately new products." However, Mr Romano said the required sales growth wouldn't come from new battery-electric like the Inster and Ioniq 9 alone. EVs accounted for just 3.7 per cent of Hyundai's Australian sales last year, with a total of 2665 sales across its Kona, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 lines. The clock is ticking for Mr Romano, who expects to hold the Korean brand's local CEO role for no more than three years before transitioning towards retirement. "We need to future-proof our business, and that's why I'm here," he told CarExpert. MORE: Everything Hyundai Content originally sourced from: Hyundai Australia has a new boss – Don Romano – and his mission is simple: turn the brand's fortunes around amid an onslaught of new challenger brands and the looming threat of federal emissions regulations. Mr Romano turned down retirement to join the local arm of Hyundai as the first-ever non-Korean CEO seven weeks ago, after successfully heading up Hyundai Canada for 11 years. By his own admission, he has faced a multitude of challenges in his roles elsewhere, but none quite compare to what he's up against Down Under. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. In 2025, auto brands in Australia have to contend with a saturated market containing no fewer than 60 separate brands – dozens more than you'll find in other major markets – with many more to come. Hyundai was among the nation's top brands until a few years ago, selling in excess of 100,000 vehicles between 2014 and 2016, before its sales declined to about 75,000 in 2023 and then 71,664 in 2024, placing it sixth on the league ladder behind Toyota (241,296 sales), Ford (100,170), Mazda (95,987), sister brand Kia (81,787), and Mitsubishi (74,547). Additionally, this year marks the start of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which includes a set of stringent emissions targets designed to reduce the carbon footprint of Australia's new vehicle market. Those factors, in combination with a host of other economic pressure points, render Australia a difficult place to do business according to Mr Romano. "There's nothing quite like it – you're talking 70 brands, whereas the markets I've worked in have had anywhere from 20 to 30 brands," said Mr Romano. "So we definitely have a unique challenge here that we don't see in other markets. I think the challenge is greater, but you also have a few brands that are very dominant here, more dominant here than they are in other markets. They're more dominant even though you have more brands, which is very unusual to me. "So the question is, how do you build a brand that can future proof itself sustainably against an onslaught of new entries?" "When it comes to NVES, there's going to be a lot of brands that are going to start falling apart because they're burying their heads in the sand." Mr Romano joins Hyundai Australia at an important juncture for the automaker, after annual sales declined by 4.7 per cent last year. Plans to reverse the trend include an injection of marketing investment, expansion of the model lineup, and a renewed focus on dealer engagement. Mr Romano will oversee the launch of several key models in the coming months and years, including the Inster compact electric vehicle (EV), the Ioniq 9 large electric SUV, and the next-generation Palisade large SUV and Nexo fuel-cell vehicle. Speaking with the media at the launch of the Inster, Hyundai's smallest and cheapest EV so far, Mr Romano said he planned to stop the sales decline and "not to go right up to 100,000, but to start growing again". "I'm not going to commit to any number other than growth – we're not going to go backwards," he said. "We've been going back for five, six years and we need to turn that corner. We're going to do it this year, and we're going to start going the other way sustainably and cautiously, through good brand management and ultimately new products." However, Mr Romano said the required sales growth wouldn't come from new battery-electric like the Inster and Ioniq 9 alone. EVs accounted for just 3.7 per cent of Hyundai's Australian sales last year, with a total of 2665 sales across its Kona, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 lines. The clock is ticking for Mr Romano, who expects to hold the Korean brand's local CEO role for no more than three years before transitioning towards retirement. "We need to future-proof our business, and that's why I'm here," he told CarExpert. MORE: Everything Hyundai Content originally sourced from: Hyundai Australia has a new boss – Don Romano – and his mission is simple: turn the brand's fortunes around amid an onslaught of new challenger brands and the looming threat of federal emissions regulations. Mr Romano turned down retirement to join the local arm of Hyundai as the first-ever non-Korean CEO seven weeks ago, after successfully heading up Hyundai Canada for 11 years. By his own admission, he has faced a multitude of challenges in his roles elsewhere, but none quite compare to what he's up against Down Under. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. In 2025, auto brands in Australia have to contend with a saturated market containing no fewer than 60 separate brands – dozens more than you'll find in other major markets – with many more to come. Hyundai was among the nation's top brands until a few years ago, selling in excess of 100,000 vehicles between 2014 and 2016, before its sales declined to about 75,000 in 2023 and then 71,664 in 2024, placing it sixth on the league ladder behind Toyota (241,296 sales), Ford (100,170), Mazda (95,987), sister brand Kia (81,787), and Mitsubishi (74,547). Additionally, this year marks the start of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which includes a set of stringent emissions targets designed to reduce the carbon footprint of Australia's new vehicle market. Those factors, in combination with a host of other economic pressure points, render Australia a difficult place to do business according to Mr Romano. "There's nothing quite like it – you're talking 70 brands, whereas the markets I've worked in have had anywhere from 20 to 30 brands," said Mr Romano. "So we definitely have a unique challenge here that we don't see in other markets. I think the challenge is greater, but you also have a few brands that are very dominant here, more dominant here than they are in other markets. They're more dominant even though you have more brands, which is very unusual to me. "So the question is, how do you build a brand that can future proof itself sustainably against an onslaught of new entries?" "When it comes to NVES, there's going to be a lot of brands that are going to start falling apart because they're burying their heads in the sand." Mr Romano joins Hyundai Australia at an important juncture for the automaker, after annual sales declined by 4.7 per cent last year. Plans to reverse the trend include an injection of marketing investment, expansion of the model lineup, and a renewed focus on dealer engagement. Mr Romano will oversee the launch of several key models in the coming months and years, including the Inster compact electric vehicle (EV), the Ioniq 9 large electric SUV, and the next-generation Palisade large SUV and Nexo fuel-cell vehicle. Speaking with the media at the launch of the Inster, Hyundai's smallest and cheapest EV so far, Mr Romano said he planned to stop the sales decline and "not to go right up to 100,000, but to start growing again". "I'm not going to commit to any number other than growth – we're not going to go backwards," he said. "We've been going back for five, six years and we need to turn that corner. We're going to do it this year, and we're going to start going the other way sustainably and cautiously, through good brand management and ultimately new products." However, Mr Romano said the required sales growth wouldn't come from new battery-electric like the Inster and Ioniq 9 alone. EVs accounted for just 3.7 per cent of Hyundai's Australian sales last year, with a total of 2665 sales across its Kona, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 lines. The clock is ticking for Mr Romano, who expects to hold the Korean brand's local CEO role for no more than three years before transitioning towards retirement. "We need to future-proof our business, and that's why I'm here," he told CarExpert. MORE: Everything Hyundai Content originally sourced from:
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Perth Now
How Hyundai Australia's new boss plans to reverse Korean brand's sales slide
Hyundai Australia has a new boss – Don Romano – and his mission is simple: turn the brand's fortunes around amid an onslaught of new challenger brands and the looming threat of federal emissions regulations. Mr Romano turned down retirement to join the local arm of Hyundai as the first-ever non-Korean CEO seven weeks ago, after successfully heading up Hyundai Canada for 11 years. By his own admission, he has faced a multitude of challenges in his roles elsewhere, but none quite compare to what he's up against Down Under. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Current Hyundai models Credit: CarExpert In 2025, auto brands in Australia have to contend with a saturated market containing no fewer than 60 separate brands – dozens more than you'll find in other major markets – with many more to come. Hyundai was among the nation's top brands until a few years ago, selling in excess of 100,000 vehicles between 2014 and 2016, before its sales declined to about 75,000 in 2023 and then 71,664 in 2024, placing it sixth on the league ladder behind Toyota (241,296 sales), Ford (100,170), Mazda (95,987), sister brand Kia (81,787), and Mitsubishi (74,547). Additionally, this year marks the start of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which includes a set of stringent emissions targets designed to reduce the carbon footprint of Australia's new vehicle market. 2026 Hyundai Palisade Credit: CarExpert Those factors, in combination with a host of other economic pressure points, render Australia a difficult place to do business according to Mr Romano. 'There's nothing quite like it – you're talking 70 brands, whereas the markets I've worked in have had anywhere from 20 to 30 brands,' said Mr Romano. 'So we definitely have a unique challenge here that we don't see in other markets. I think the challenge is greater, but you also have a few brands that are very dominant here, more dominant here than they are in other markets. They're more dominant even though you have more brands, which is very unusual to me. 2026 Hyundai Nexo Credit: CarExpert 'So the question is, how do you build a brand that can future proof itself sustainably against an onslaught of new entries?' 'When it comes to NVES, there's going to be a lot of brands that are going to start falling apart because they're burying their heads in the sand.' Mr Romano joins Hyundai Australia at an important juncture for the automaker, after annual sales declined by 4.7 per cent last year. Plans to reverse the trend include an injection of marketing investment, expansion of the model lineup, and a renewed focus on dealer engagement. 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Credit: CarExpert Mr Romano will oversee the launch of several key models in the coming months and years, including the Inster compact electric vehicle (EV), the Ioniq 9 large electric SUV, and the next-generation Palisade large SUV and Nexo fuel-cell vehicle. Speaking with the media at the launch of the Inster, Hyundai's smallest and cheapest EV so far, Mr Romano said he planned to stop the sales decline and 'not to go right up to 100,000, but to start growing again'. 'I'm not going to commit to any number other than growth – we're not going to go backwards,' he said. 'We've been going back for five, six years and we need to turn that corner. We're going to do it this year, and we're going to start going the other way sustainably and cautiously, through good brand management and ultimately new products.' 2025 Hyundai Inster Credit: CarExpert However, Mr Romano said the required sales growth wouldn't come from new battery-electric like the Inster and Ioniq 9 alone. EVs accounted for just 3.7 per cent of Hyundai's Australian sales last year, with a total of 2665 sales across its Kona, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 lines. The clock is ticking for Mr Romano, who expects to hold the Korean brand's local CEO role for no more than three years before transitioning towards retirement. 'We need to future-proof our business, and that's why I'm here,' he told CarExpert. MORE: Everything Hyundai
7NEWS
6 days ago
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
How Hyundai Australia's new boss plans to reverse Korean brand's sales slide
Hyundai Australia has a new boss – Don Romano – and his mission is simple: turn the brand's fortunes around amid an onslaught of new challenger brands and the looming threat of federal emissions regulations. Mr Romano turned down retirement to join the local arm of Hyundai as the first-ever non-Korean CEO seven weeks ago, after successfully heading up Hyundai Canada for 11 years. By his own admission, he has faced a multitude of challenges in his roles elsewhere, but none quite compare to what he's up against Down Under. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. In 2025, auto brands in Australia have to contend with a saturated market containing no fewer than 60 separate brands – dozens more than you'll find in other major markets – with many more to come. Hyundai was among the nation's top brands until a few years ago, selling in excess of 100,000 vehicles between 2014 and 2016, before its sales declined to about 75,000 in 2023 and then 71,664 in 2024, placing it sixth on the league ladder behind Toyota (241,296 sales), Ford (100,170), Mazda (95,987), sister brand Kia (81,787), and Mitsubishi (74,547). Additionally, this year marks the start of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which includes a set of stringent emissions targets designed to reduce the carbon footprint of Australia's new vehicle market. Those factors, in combination with a host of other economic pressure points, render Australia a difficult place to do business according to Mr Romano. 'There's nothing quite like it – you're talking 70 brands, whereas the markets I've worked in have had anywhere from 20 to 30 brands,' said Mr Romano. 'So we definitely have a unique challenge here that we don't see in other markets. I think the challenge is greater, but you also have a few brands that are very dominant here, more dominant here than they are in other markets. They're more dominant even though you have more brands, which is very unusual to me. 'So the question is, how do you build a brand that can future proof itself sustainably against an onslaught of new entries?' 'When it comes to NVES, there's going to be a lot of brands that are going to start falling apart because they're burying their heads in the sand.' Mr Romano joins Hyundai Australia at an important juncture for the automaker, after annual sales declined by 4.7 per cent last year. Plans to reverse the trend include an injection of marketing investment, expansion of the model lineup, and a renewed focus on dealer engagement. Mr Romano will oversee the launch of several key models in the coming months and years, including the Inster compact electric vehicle (EV), the Ioniq 9 large electric SUV, and the next-generation Palisade large SUV and Nexo fuel-cell vehicle. Speaking with the media at the launch of the Inster, Hyundai's smallest and cheapest EV so far, Mr Romano said he planned to stop the sales decline and 'not to go right up to 100,000, but to start growing again'. 'I'm not going to commit to any number other than growth – we're not going to go backwards,' he said. 'We've been going back for five, six years and we need to turn that corner. We're going to do it this year, and we're going to start going the other way sustainably and cautiously, through good brand management and ultimately new products.' However, Mr Romano said the required sales growth wouldn't come from new battery-electric like the Inster and Ioniq 9 alone. EVs accounted for just 3.7 per cent of Hyundai's Australian sales last year, with a total of 2665 sales across its Kona, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 lines. The clock is ticking for Mr Romano, who expects to hold the Korean brand's local CEO role for no more than three years before transitioning towards retirement. 'We need to future-proof our business, and that's why I'm here,' he told CarExpert.
Korea Herald
7 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
KB Bank taps first non-Korean chief in Indonesia
KB Bank Indonesia has appointed Kunardy Darma Lie, corporate banking director at DBS Bank Indonesia, as its new leader, as the South Korean lender steps up efforts to expand its local presence. Parent company KB Financial Group, Korea's largest financial group, said Tuesday that the board of its Indonesian banking unit approved Kunardy's appointment following the end of former President Director Lee Woo-yeol's term. Kunrady is the first non-Korean to lead KB Bank since the Korean financial group gained control over the lender in 2018. Kunardy brings over two decades of experience at global financial institutions operating in Indonesia, with a deep understanding of the local banking sector and expertise in corporate finance, according to KB. He began his career at Citibank Indonesia, where he held senior positions including managing director and head of corporate and investment banking. He went on to join Deutsche Bank Indonesia in 2014 as managing director and chief country officer, before moving to DBS Indonesia in 2020 as corporate banking director. Starting his tenure, Kunardy laid out strategic priorities including stabilizing operations and building a sustainable profit base, strengthening cost and risk controls, enhancing governance, deepening ties with government and investors and reinforcing brand trust. 'With the new leader's appointment, KB Bank Indonesia aims to reinforce its localized management approach and accelerate its push to become a sustainable and competitive player in Indonesia's financial sector,' the bank said. KB Financial Group has designated Indonesia as its 'second home market,' positioning it as a strategic base for future growth and overseas expansion. The group currently operates seven local subsidiaries across banking, securities, insurance and asset management, ultimately aiming to build a comprehensive financial platform by leveraging groupwide synergies.
Korea Herald
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Mamamoo's Solar to drop single in China, Moonbyul heads to Japan
Solar of Mamamoo will enter China with her first single in Mandarin, agency RBW Entertainment said Monday. She is planning to drop the digital single 'Floating Free' on June 11, her first non-Korean language endeavor. The news came with a poster of musical notes bridging Seoul and Taipei, zoomed in on maps from smartphones, along with messages saying, 'Solar, I miss you!' In April, Solar surprised fans when her first solo EP 'Face' appeared in American hip-hop musician Playboy Carti's teaser video for the single 'Evil Jordan.' Meanwhile, Moonbyul is set to go live in Japan in July, hosting fan concerts in Tokyo on July 4 and in Osaka on July 12. The live shows are themed after the sea and cinema, a combination for a cool summer break. Moonbyul debuted in the country with the physical single 'Aurora' in February, and the main track 'Hoshiakari' ranked No. 3 on Oricon's Daily Single Ranking.
