According to media reports, Kia Europe has promoted its Head of Product and Marketing, Sjoerd Knipping, to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). This appointment comes as the brand faces a sales decline after achieving consecutive years of record-breaking sales.
In a statement released on December 11, Kia announced that Knipping will be responsible for continuing the company's rapid growth in Europe as it transitions toward electrification and prepares to launch a new commercial vehicle business.
Pablo Martinez Masip, currently Kia's Global Customer Experience Director at its headquarters in South Korea, will succeed Knipping as the Head of Marketing for the European market. Knipping will report to Marc Hedrich, President and CEO of Kia Europe.
Knipping joined Kia Netherlands in 2011 after holding international management and commercial vehicle roles at Ford. Within Kia Europe, he has served as Director of Product and Pricing and General Manager of Kia Connect. In 2022, he was appointed Vice President of Product and Marketing.
Masip, who joined Kia in 2010, has previously worked at Mercedes-Benz, Ford, and Chrysler. At Kia, his roles have included managing product planning, pricing, and connected services in Europe. In 2021, he became Vice President of Global Customer Experience.
In recent years, Kia has been one of the fastest-growing brands in Europe, achieving a record market share of 4.8% in 2022 and record sales of 572,297 units in 2023, although its market share slightly decreased to 4.6%.
However, data from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) shows that in the first 10 months of this year, Kia's sales in the EU, the UK, and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries fell by 8% year-on-year, with its market share declining to 4.2%.
