Hyundai Motor Company has appointed Randy Parker as the chief executive officer of Hyundai and Genesis Motor North America, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Parker will lead all Hyundai operations and functions in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and Genesis in the U.S. and Canada, along with overseeing Hyundai’s manufacturing facilities in Alabama and Georgia.
Parker succeeds José Muñoz in that role, who has been promoted to president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company. Parker will also remain the CEO of Hyundai Motor America.
“Randy Parker is an outstanding leader with a proven track record for driving sales growth and effectively serving our dealer partners, customers, employees and other stakeholders. I am proud to announce him as the new CEO for Hyundai and Genesis Motor North America,” said Muñoz. “As I transition to the global president and CEO role, I’m confident in the continued momentum of the North American market under Randy’s leadership.”
Parker’s leadership at Hyundai Motor America has been instrumental in the company’s remarkable sales growth. He joined the company in 2019 as vice president of national sales and was promoted to senior vice president in February 2021.
In August 2022, Parker became CEO of Hyundai Motor America, making history as the first African American to lead a significant OEM regional market. Under his guidance, Hyundai became one of the fastest-growing mainstream brands in the United States, setting all-time retail sales records for three consecutive years.
“It’s an honour to lead Hyundai and Genesis in North America and build on our growth trajectory,” added Parker. “North America has become one of the most important markets for Hyundai globally. We have a clear vision to deliver outstanding products and elevate the customer experience while being flexible to changing consumer demands and marketplace dynamics. I’m looking forward to leading our teams across the region and continuing to strengthen the relationship with our dealer partners.”
Before joining Hyundai, Parker was the vice president of INFINITI North America, leading the brand’s overall performance in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Parker had over thirty years of automotive industry experience and leadership roles at General Motors (GM), GM Acceptance Corporation (GMAC), Nissan, and Infiniti.
At Nissan, he served as division vice president, Global Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) sales and marketing where he was responsible for the automaker’s LCV business unit based in Yokohama, Japan. Parker also served as the regional vice president of Nissan USA’s western region.
Parker holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Christian University and completed Executive Management Programs at Harvard and Penn State. In 2021, Parker was named to the Automotive News All-Star list, recognized by the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2022 on their prestigious list of industry influencers, and named an Automotive News Champion of Diversity in 2024.