Hyundai has appointed Byung Kwon Rhim as its new president and chief executive for Europe.

The appointment follows on from Kia’s decision to promote Peter Schreyer as its new president. Shreyer will also lead Hyundai’s design team for future models.

Rhim previously held the role of president at Hyundai Motor Russia, but, prior to that, he held several marketing positions within Europe, and also served as the head of Europe division at Hyundai’s headquarters in Korea.

Rhim said: “The current economic situation is very challenging and we expect this to continue in 2013.

“Therefore we will focus on building our brand image and enhancing the quality of our operations through programmes that make a real difference for the customer.”

Rhim replaces former president Tak Uk Im, who is moving to the company’s global headquarters in Korea to become head of international operations division.