Press Release

  • Corporate

Hankook Tire Appoints New CEO

President Soo Il Lee has been announced as new Chief Executive Officer for Hankook Tire.
Hankook Tire Appoints New CEO

Seoul, Korea / Neu-Isenburg, Germany, 8th December 2017 – Hankook Tire today announced a new executive appointment. The Premium tyre maker has appointed Soo-Il Lee (55) as President & Chief Executive Officer of Hankook Tire. The appointment will come into effect on 1st January 2018.

Mr. Lee will oversee the management of Hankook Tire using his experience gained through executive positions at Hankook Tire across the globe. He acted as Managing Director of Hankook France from 2001 till 2003. In 2006 he took over the position as Director of the global marketing department. Furthermore, his services as Chief Operating Officer of Hankook Tire America (from 2009 till 2012) and China (from 2013 till 2016), as well as the global Headquarter's Chief Marketing & Corporate Management Officer (since 2017) contributed to Mr. Lee’s comprehensive knowledge of the company. Drawing on his global expertise, Hankook Tire will continue its professional management system that began in 1988 with the focus on accelerating the company's growth to become a global top tier company.

Along with President Lee's appointment, the company has restructured its organisation further to respond to the needs of the global markets and its customers with greater dexterity. Chief Executive Officer & Vice Chairman Seung-Hwa Suh (69), who has served in this position since 2007 and has led the company’s growth during the last ten years, will retire and continue as a counsel to Hankook Tire’s management.

Profile of Soo-Il Lee, born 1962

1987 Joined Hankook Tire

2001 Managing Director Hankook France

2006 Vice President & Director of Marketing Department

2009 Senior Vice President & COO of America Headquarters

2013 Senior Vice President & COO of China Headquarters

2016 Executive Vice President & COO of China Headquarters

2017 Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer / Chief Corporate Management Officer

Hankook Tire manufactures globally innovative, award-winning radial tyres of proven superior quality for passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, RVs, trucks, and buses as well as motorsports (circuit racing/street circuits/rallies).

Aspiring to bring consumers the utmost excellence in product quality, technological excellence and driving satisfaction, Hankook Tire continuously invests in research and development maintaining five R&D centres and eight production facilities around the world. Bespoke tyre solutions for the European markets as well as European Original Equipment according to the requirements of leading premium car manufacturers, are developed in the company’s regional Technical Centre in Hanover/Germany. Production for the European region is taking place in the state-of-the-art manufacturing site in Rácalmás/Hungary which was inaugurated in June 2007 and is continuously being expanded.

Hankook Tire’s European headquarters are located in Neu-Isenburg near Frankfurt am Main in Germany. The manufacturer operates further branches in several European countries and sells its products through regional distributors in other local markets. Hankook Tire employs approximately 20,000 people worldwide and sells products in over 160 countries. The company has been the technical partner and exclusive tyre supplier of the Generation 3 for the FIA ABB Formula E World Championship since 2023. Internationally leading car manufacturers rely on tyres made by Hankook for their original equipment. Approximately 38 percent of the company's global sales are generated within the European region.

For more information please visit www.hankooktire-mediacenter.com or www.hankooktire.com

Hankook Tire Europe GmbH | Marketing Communications Europe | Siemensstr. 14, 63263 Neu-Isenburg | Germany

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Hankook Tire Appoints New CEO

Mr. Soo-Il Lee - Hankook Tire, President & COO

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Mr. Soo-Il Lee - Hankook Tire, President & COO

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Contacts

Sabine Riedel

PR Manager Marketing Communications

 +49 (0) 6102 8149-178

Sabine Riedel

PR Manager Marketing Communications

 +49 (0) 6102 8149-178

Lisa Schmid

PR Manager Marketing Communications

+49 (0) 6102 8149-172

Alexander Nevinny-Stickel

PR Manager Marketing Communications

+49 (0) 6102 8149-173

Annika Malcherek

Annika Malcherek

Digital Lead Marketing Communications

+49 (0) 6102 8149-176

Stefan Prohaska

Stefan Prohaska

Digital Marketing Communications

 +49 (0) 6102 8149-171

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