Mumbai: Hyundai Motor Company President and CEO José Muñoz has been named MotorTrend’s 2025 Person of the Year and secured the top spot on the 2025 MotorTrend Power List, solidifying his place as a transformative leader in the automotive industry.
According to MotorTrend, “José Muñoz steps into the history books as the first non-Korean to lead the conglomerate that includes Hyundai and Genesis… (and) has been a driving force, leading Hyundai through years of record growth in North American sales, market share, revenue, and profitability. Muñoz has more than earned his top spot on our Power List, and he shows no signs of slowing down or making major missteps.”
The prestigious list also highlights other notable industry leaders, including Euisun Chung, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair (named Person of the Year in 2023), and key figures like SangYup Lee, Luc Donckerwolke, Claudia Marquez, and Karim Habib.
Expressing his gratitude, Muñoz commented, “I am extremely honored to be recognized among such a talented group of industry leaders. This recognition is due to the vision and support of our Executive Chair, the hard-working women and men of Hyundai, our outstanding dealer partners, our customers, and so many others who work tirelessly for Hyundai and Genesis in this competitive and dynamic industry. It’s a great time to be with Hyundai!”
MotorTrend has praised Hyundai for its evolution from a brand known for affordability to one now associated with quality, value, and prestige. The publication also lauded Hyundai for the success of its luxury Genesis division, highlighting the Genesis GV70 as the 2022 MotorTrend SUV of the Year and the Hyundai IONIQ 5 as the 2023 SUV of the Year.
Under Muñoz’s leadership, Hyundai has achieved consecutive record results, contributing to Hyundai Motor Group’s (HMG) growth as the third-largest automaker in the world. Muñoz is committed to fostering innovation, advocating for new technologies, and forming strategic partnerships to advance sustainability and safety in transportation.
Muñoz credits Hyundai’s success to the visionary leadership of Executive Chair Euisun Chung, whose “Progress for Humanity” strategy focuses on leveraging next-generation technologies such as electrification, smart cities, autonomous driving, and artificial intelligence to improve mobility. Under Muñoz’s stewardship, Hyundai has seen remarkable growth in sales, market share, and profitability.
Muñoz has also spearheaded significant investments, including a $12.6 billion investment in a new HMG assembly plant in Georgia, joint ventures in battery technology, and expanded capacity at Hyundai’s North American manufacturing sites. Since its entry into the U.S. market, HMG has invested $20.5 billion, creating over 570,000 jobs both directly and indirectly.
José Muñoz joined Hyundai Motor Company in 2019 as president and global chief operating officer, taking on the role of president and CEO of Hyundai and Genesis Motor North America. His leadership was instrumental in Hyundai’s record-breaking sales in the region. In 2022, Muñoz expanded his responsibilities to oversee global operations, including Europe, India, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific region.
Before joining Hyundai, Muñoz had a successful career in the automotive sector, including roles at Daewoo, Toyota, and Nissan, where he served as chief performance officer and chair of China and North America.
Muñoz, a native of Spain, holds a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from Polytechnic University of Madrid and an MBA from IE Business School in Madrid. He is fluent in English, Spanish, and French, and has completed executive programs at Cranfield School of Management (U.K.) and INSEAD Business School (France).
