Kia Motors Europe has appointed Carlos Lahoz as its new marketing director, responsible for its digital marketing, brand and strategic marketing planning, media relations, social media and brand experience within the European region.

He fills the vacancy left by Artur Martins, who recently took up a position at the company’s global headquarters in Seoul, Korea.

Lahoz, who takes up the post immediately, will report directly to Emilio Herrera, chief operating officer for Kia Motors Europe.

“This is a particularly exciting period for Kia, as the brand strengthens its reputation as a smart, approachable and electrified brand in Europe,” said Herrera.

“With more electric and hybrid models on the way, Carlos will work with marketing teams across Europe and in Korea to ensure Kia continues to engage and communicate with current and prospective customers in the most effective ways. His intimate knowledge of how Kia operates, combined with an insight as to what our customers want from their cars and our brand, make him ideal for the role.”

Lahoz has more than two decades of experience in the automotive sector. His previous role was director of Strategic Planning and Operations at Kia Motors Europe which he held for five years

He was responsible for the company’s long-term business strategy, CO2 management, business intelligence and sales planning. He was also responsible for the company’s European production, overseeing operations planning at Kia’s European manufacturing facility in Žilina, Slovakia.

Before joining Kia Motors Europe, he served as senior manager business planning at Kia Motors Iberia.

A Spanish national, Lahoz (44) holds a degree in economics from the University of Zaragoza and an executive MBA from the IE Business School in Madrid. He has also completed a post-graduate Global Professional Program at the University of Pennsylvania and is fluent in Spanish, English and Italian, as well as speaking intermediate German.