Meet the COO
NAME: Emilio Herrera
TITLE: Kia Europe COO
AGE: 57
MAIN CHALLENGE: Avoiding CO2 fines despite continued strong demand for Kia’s SUVs.
Emilio Herrera, who has been chief operating officer of Kia Europe for 15 months, is keeping Kia on a growth path despite a steady decline in the region's overall vehicle sales. Kia's European registrations rose 1.6 percent in the first half to 268,305 despite the market's 3.1 percent dip, data from industry association shows. Maintaining this pace is about to get tougher as Kia electrifies its lineup at a time when many customers remain reluctant to switch to hybrids or full-electric models. Herrera shared his strategy with Automotive News Europe Correspondent Andrea Malan.
