Hyundai Motor Appoints Thomas Schemera
as Head of Newly-Established High Performance Vehicle & MotorsportDivision
- High Performance Vehicle & Motorsport Divisionestablished in March
- Mr.Schemera joins Hyundai as Executive Vice President to oversee strategy, product planning, sales and marketing for new division
- Hyundai aims to boost synergy between new division and Albert Biermann-led high performance vehicle development at Hyundai Motor Group
SEOUL, March 1, 2018– Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea’s largest carmaker, today announced that it has established a new divisionto enhance its high performance vehicle and motorsport businesses and has appointed a renowned industry expert Thomas Schemera to lead the new division.
The High Performance Vehicle & Motorsport Division, which was launched effective March, will streamlineHyundai’s strategy, product planning, sales and marketing capabilitiesfor high performance vehicle operations to maximize synergy betweenheadquarters and the company’s motorsport arm Hyundai Motorsport GmbH, to further develop the high performance vehicle business.
Since the company’s foray intohigh performance vehicles in 2012, Hyundai Motor has steadily expanded its global presence in this field. Last year, the company launched the high-performance N line-up with the i30 N model, followed by the Veloster N’s world premiere at theNorth American International Auto Show in Detroit earlier this year.
“I am thrilled to join Hyundai Motor, which is presenting incredible prowess in its high performance technologies through models like the i30 N,despite being relatively new to this competitive scene.”Mr. Schemera said. “I will dedicatemy expertise and knowledge obtained overmy three-decade career to making a significant contribution toHyundai’s development in this field and to provide pure driving pleasure to our customers.”
German-born Schemera, 55, studied mechanical engineering atBochum University of Applied Science and Industrial Engineering & EconomicsatMunich University of Applied Science. He began his career as a designing engineer at BMW in 1987. He played various key roles at BMW Group including the four-year service as the Vice President of Sales &
Dealer Development in the mainland and Greater China region, where he led the four-fold increase in sales of BMW and BMW M models from 2005 to 2008. Most recently, he served as theHead of BMW M and BMW Individual in the Americas.
“Thomas Schemera is one of the most renowned experts in the high performance vehicle business with experience in all of the world’s major markets,” said Albert Biermann,President and Head of Performance Development and High Performance Vehicle Development at Hyundai Motor Group. “I am excited he is joining usand I’m confident that his participation will help put Hyundai’s high performance vehicle business onto the fasttrack,” added President Biermannwho joined Hyundai Motor Group in 2015 to lead the group’s high performance vehicle development.
Hyundai’s high performance N line-up was developed to make the driver’s heart beat faster whenever they are behind the wheel. Instead of focusing on outright performance numbers, Hyundai chose to emphasize the N driver’s heartbeats per minute (BPM), rather than revs per minute (RPM). After the 2017 introduction of the i30 N model, Hyundai is about to add the Veloster N model to the high-performance line-up this year and plans to further expand customers’choices for fun-to-drive models.
Biography – Mr. Thomas Schemera (55)
2015 ~ 2018 : Head of BMW M,BMW Individualin the Americas
2009 ~ 2014 : Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Driving Experience at BMW M / Germany
2005 ~ 2008 : Vice President of Sales, Dealer Development at BMW/ Mainland and Greater China
1987 ~ 2007 : Various posts at BMW Group
1987 : Admission at BMW as designing engineer
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About Hyundai Motor
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is committed to becoming a lifetime partner in automobiles and beyond. The company leads the Hyundai Motor Group, an innovative business structure capable of circulating resources from molten iron to finished cars. Hyundai Motor has eight manufacturing bases and seven design and technical centers worldwide and in 2017 sold about 4.5 million vehicles globally. With more than 110,000 employees worldwide, Hyundai Motor continues to enhance its product line-up with localized models and strives to strengthen its leadership in clean technology, starting with the world’s first mass-produced fuel cell electric vehicle and IONIQ, the world’s first model with three electrified powertrains in a single body type.
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Contact
Jin Cha
Global PR Team / Hyundai Motor
+82 2 3464 2128
Hyundai Motor Company / 12, Heolleung-ro, Seochogu,Seoul, 137-938, Korea / T +82 2 3464 8501 /