Neu-Isenburg, Germany, 14th May 2024 – Following a strategic management decision, premium manufacturer Hankook Tire will merge its operational marketing activities even closer with the areas of corporate, product, motorsport, and digital communications in the future with a new department structure. Filip Pawelka (47) will assume the role of director of the newly created Marketing Communications department at Hankook Tire Europe. He will be taking over the areas of corporate, product, and motorsport communications as well as digital communications from Felix Kinzer (61), who established these over the previous 16 years for Hankook Tire in Europe and oversaw their successful growth.
In his new position, Filip Pawelka intends to leverage synergies to provide more targeted support to sales and further refine the brand image of Hankook. An experienced PR executive, Mr Pawelka rejoined Hankook Tire Europe in March 2023, initially as Senior Marketing Manager Europe. He had previously worked at Hankook in Neu-Isenburg from 2004 to 2008. He started his career at the premium tyre manufacturer as a marketing coordinator, before taking on the role of Head of E-Marketing. Prior to his return to Hankook, he worked in management at the Brunswick Group and as National Sales Manager at vehicle manufacturer Polaris Industries from 2015 to 2019. His most recent position was as Business Development Manager Outdoor Sports at Cardo Systems.
Felix Kinzer, who set up the communications and media relations division at the premium tyre manufacturer’s European base and played a major part in shaping it, is switching to a strategic role as Senior Director and will grow the newly created Public Affairs division for the company in Europe. Mr. Kinzer joined Hankook in 2007, following stints at Bridgestone and Pirelli. Having laid the foundation stone for the PR department and overseen its growth, he implemented new communication measures and later integrated the digital segment with website and social media. In his new role, he will be reporting directly to the senior leadership team.
“I would like to expressly thank Felix Kinzer for his long-standing and successful commitment. He has made a significant contribution to demonstrably professionalising our brand profile in Europe. In the course of setting up our European production facility, he established high-level corporate communications in 2007 and later digital media work, which has since become firmly anchored in the department through the creation of professional organisational structures. I’m confident that he will contribute to the positive growth of Hankook with the same passion in his new role also,” says Sanghoon Lee, President and COO of Hankook Tire Europe. “We also looking forward to continuing the team’s many years of good communication work at a new level with Filip Pawelka, who is already extremely well versed in the processes at Hankook. With in-depth PR and marketing knowledge as well as his sales experience, he perfectly covers all areas of communication up to sales, and will provide new impetus for our brand image and successfully develop the team,” continues Mr Lee.
Caption:
From left to right: Felix Kinzer, Senior Director Public Affairs at Hankook Tire Europe, Sanghoon Lee, President and COO of Hankook Tire Europe, Filip Pawelka, Director Marketing Communications at Hankook Tire Europe.
