GM Poaches Hyundai…Again
Korean automaker gives up another exec
Hyundai needs to circle the wagons if they are to succeed in keeping General Motors away from its key marketing people.
Chris Perry (L); Jim Campbell (R)
For the second time this year, a key Hyundai executive has left the Korean automaker and is heading to GM. Today, GM announced that Chris Perry has been named Vice President, Chevrolet Marketing replacing Jim Campbell who has been reassigned.
Earlier this year GM grabbed Joel Ewanick although when that poaching took place, Ewanick had already left Hyundai for Nissan. Six weeks into his Nissan gig, GM gave Ewanick an offer he couldn’t refuse, naming him vice-president of U.S. marketing.
Marketing Pro
Perry’s career has been on the ascendancy, having spent 10 years at now defunct American Isuzu Motors before heading to Hyundai in 2000. Though Hyundai’s position in the market has improved dramatically since then, GM still sells more vehicles globally than its Korean competitor. Likely, GM sees Hyundai as much of a threat to its business as anyone else, but they’re willing to snag top Hyundai performers especially if that move helps their own business.
Campbell will land on his feet as Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. According to GM, Campbell will be” responsible for integrating the engineering and marketing of performance versions of current production models, as well as all motorsports activities.” Sounds like a fun job, perhaps better than having to market a wide variety of Chevy products.
Hyundai Magic
As for Perry, he’ll report to Ewanick. Perhaps they’ll do for Chevrolet and General Motors what they did for Hyundai, creating a groundswell of interest in various product lines. Also, maybe they’ll help GM complete a Hyundai trifecta by poaching yet another executive to bolster some other GM brand.
Stay tuned! The wheels on the bus go round and round….
Source: General Motors Company
