Mark Juhn's Blog

전 명헌 사장은 한양대학교 산업공학과를 졸업한 뒤 1969년 신진자동차에 입사하면서 자동차 산업에 첫 발을 내디뎠다. 1972년부터 GM코리아에서 해외구매담당으로 활약하며 글로벌 경영리더가 되기 위해 필요한 다양한 산업지식과 경험을 쌓기 시작한다.

1977년 현대자동차에 해외사업부 과장으로 합류하면서 자동차 수출 전문가로서의 본격적인 경력을 쌓기 시작한 전 명헌 사장은 1989년 현대자동차 이사 겸 미주 현지법인 수석 부사장, 1992년 해외사업부 상무이사, 1997년 현대자동차 미국 현지법인, 캐나다 현지법인, 미국 금융회사 등 3개사 총괄사장, 1999년 해외영업본부 수출지원 사업부 담당 전무이사 등 핵심요직을 두루 거치면서 현대자동차의 해외시장 개척, 특히 미주시장 수출 선봉장으로서 눈부신 활약을 펼쳤다.

이 과정에서 전 명헌 사장은 1998년 자동차 해외마케팅의 전략적 경영을 바탕으로 쌓은 경험에서 북미 고객들의 현대차에 대한 불신을 일시에 획기적으로 바꾸어 놓은 가장 강력한 메씨지인 ‘10년, 10만 마일 워런티'라는 전무후무한 파격적인 아이디어를 기획하여 실현시켰으며, 이는 현재까지도 미국 자동차 시장에서 활용되고 회자되고 있을 정도로 한국 자동차 수출 역사에 한 획을 그은 획기적 마케팅 전략으로 평가되고 있다.

전 명헌 사장은 2000년 11월 기아자동차로 자리를 옮겨, 해외영업 본부장 부사장을 역임하는 동안 유럽 주요국가의 독립 대리점권을 인수, 유럽시장에서 판매 마케팅을 직영함으로써 획기적으로 판매력을 강화시켰고 동시에 호주 오픈테니스의 메인 스폰서가 되어 기아자동차의 해외시장에서의 인지도를 한꺼번에 올려 놓은 것은 전 명헌 사장이 기아자동차 해외엉업 담당 부사장 시절에 남긴 업적들이였으며 기아자동차를 세계가 주목하는 자동차 회사로 도약하는 계기를 만들기도 했다. 뿐만아니고 대리점의 생산 오더 관리 시스템을 획기적으로 개선했으며 생산공장에서 선적 부두가지의 물류 시스템 및 PDI 시설을 세계 초일류로 바꾸어 놓기도 했다.

2003년부터는 글로벌 홍보 전문기업 에델만 코리아의 회장을 맡았으며, 2004년 4월에는 대한민국 수출 입국에 주도적인 역할을 해온 현대종합상사의 대표이사 사장으로 취임, 그만의 독특한 ‘스피드 경영'으로 새로운 도약을 주도하였다. 

치밀하고 전략적인 경영 마인드 이외에도 전 명헌 사장은 영어, 스페인어, 화란어 등 유창한 외국어 실력을 갖추고 있는 등 국제 비즈니스 감각이 매우 뛰어나며 세계 각계 각층 인사와의 교류가 두텁기로도 유명하다. 

전 명헌 사장은 또한 Mark Juhn's Blog 라는 친환경 자동차를 주 테마로 한 그만의 블로그를 운영하고 있으며 대한민국 기업의 CEO들이 놓쳐서는 안될 블로그로 평가되기도 했다.

With over 34 years of experiences in Korean automotive industry and 30 years of export and marketing as well as international sales networking out of the 34 years, Mark Juhn is running a consulting firm. Its name is I AM Consulting Group - I AM stand for International Automotive Marketing.

The members at the consulting group are former executives of Hyundai Motor Company who were deeply engaged in international business for decades from the initial stage of Hyundai's export. Their experience in market development and insight into overseas as well as establishing sales network representing Hyundai brand in so many countries during the past years will surely help new starters in its initial stage of market research and corporate image branding in new markets.

As for Mark Juhn's experience and his capacity in turning around Hyundai Motor in the United States of America and also other countries worldwide, click here or search the stories in the category Press in this blog or please contact us if you have interest in our role.
 
Should you have any questions please contact me via mhjuhn@gmail.com or m-juhn@hanmail.net.

자동차 산업에서 34년 근무, 해외영업분야에서만 30년의 경험을 살려 국내외 자동차 마케팅에 대한 컨설팅 사업을 시작했습니다. 우리나라 자동차 시장에 진출을 희망하는 해외 자동차회사의 가이드를 해줄 수 있는 컨설팅과 우리나라 자동차 회사의 해외 마케팅에 필요한 업무를 지원해주는 업무를 수행하고 있습니다. 관심이 가시는 분은 지접 연락해주시면 언제든 여러분의 문제 해결의 열쇠를 제공해 드리겠습니다.
전 명헌한테는 mhjuhn@gmail.com 또는  m-juhn@hanmail.net으로 연락을 주시면 즉시 회신을 답을 드리겠습니다.

An automotive executive with more than three decades of experience, Myung-hun(Mark) Juhn is at the very forefront of the Korean automotive industry. A dynamic leader with a reputation for setting and achieving ambitious targets, he has an exceptional number of accomplishments to his credit that firmly place him among the most successful and influential Korean automotive executives.

During his career, Juhn has been a driving force behind the global development of Korea's two largest car manufacturers that, between them, manufacture more than three millions automobiles every year.
Ever since Juhn joined Hyundai Corporation in March 2004, the company is dynamically moving forward to through innovation and changes; developing new business models, diversifying its profit sources and maximizing efficiency in managing its organization and human resources. As a result, positing KRW 1.7 trillion in sales, KRW 25.1 billion in operating profit and KRW 34.5 billion in net income. Hyundai Corporation turned back in the black in 2004 for the first time in 4 years, and continues to drive forward its business.

Juhn was a member of the executives team responsible for the most successful U.S. launch of an automotive importer in history, driving Hyundai Motor to sell over 250,000 units during its first full year of operations in America. He implemented the revolutionary 10 year/100,000 miles warranty, "America's Best Warranty" in 1998 that became a key element in developing the Hyundai brand in North America. He also opened up the Brazilian and Cuban markets; which had been closed and banned on import of foreign made cars for several decades, to Korean cars for the first time.

Juhn also served Kia Motors Corporation as its Chief Operating Officer and Head of the International Business Division. He retired from the company in January 2003 after it had just completed its fourth successive record year, selling over one million cars in the previous year. Since that time, he had served as Chairman of Edelman Korea, Korea's leading international public relations consultancy.

At Kia he oversaw the launch of five new models, including the extraodinarily popular SUV Sorento.  He initiated the establishment of Kia Motors Europe as a separate financial entity and drove Kia to a 21% improvement in the 2002 JD Power & Associate's international public quality survey-- making Kia the most improved brand that year.

Juhn's success at Kia was especially evidenced in Europe. There, his strategy included the takeover by Kia of five European distributors with the goal of using those distributors to push through sales and marketing initiatives to lead the market as a whole. He also brought about the hiring of more local staff recruited from prominent competitors to provide greater insight into the complexities of the European market.

His strategy paid-off for Kia almost immediately, with sales in the first quarter of 2003 up more tham 50% over the same period in 2002, the fastest growth of any manufacturer in Europe during that period. March 2003 alone saw sales increase by 60%, the highest single monthly growth figure in Kia's history.

Prior to being named COO in 2001, Juhn ran Kia's Marketing Administration Division in Seoul. Before that he was President of Kia's Middle East Regional HQ in Dubai, UAE.

Before being transferred to Kia in 2000, Juhn was Executive Vice President of Hyundai's International Marketing Group at the company's Seoul headquaters. In 1997, he was appointed President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. He was also headed Hyundai Auto Canada and Hyundai Motor Financing Company at the same time.

Juhn was instrumental in turning Hyundai from a struggling brand into one of the fastest-growing automotive companies in the North American market. He oversaw a sales and marketing initiative in Canada that increased sales by 188.4%. He also directed a program that firmly improved dealer perceptions for Hyundai Motors from 14th to 4th most valuable automotive franchise in the U.S. as an evidence on quality rankings, including a one-year increase of 31%-- the largest increase in the history of the survey.

Between 1992 and 1996, he was Managing Director of Hyundai' export division, increasing annual sales from 284,115 vehicles to 569,164 and US$1.85 billion to US$4.44 billion in Europe, Asia and South America.

In 1989, Juhn was named Executive Vice President of Hyundai Motor America. During this first posting to North America, he improved parts operation to the highest fill rate in the industry, successfully launched Elantra, the company's first mid-sized vehicle in the North American market, and strategically positioned Hyundai Motor America to maintain its market share during a period of declining general automotive sales.

Before that Juhn was General Manager of Hyundai's Parts Division, where he establisehd a distribution system that resulted in a fill rate of 90%, the highest in Korea.

Juhn began his career in the Overseas Procurement division of Shinjin Motor Company and then Gerneral Motors Korea, where he worked for eight years after completing a degree B.Sc in industrial engineering at Hanyang University in Seoul.

During his career, he visited over one hundred different countries and developed a network of contacts throughout the world.

Juhn is married with two children. He speaks Korean, fluent English and Spanish and is conversational in Dutch. At 64 years of age, he continues to work out every day.

“What is causing the downfall of the US car industry?”
Resting on past laurels, the US car industry has lost touch with changes sweeping the outside world. The industry was seduced by scale alone when instead it should have been focusing on designing and producing new models attractive to consumers.

“The End of Detroit” presents a rather gloomy and stark picture of the US automobile industry led single-handedly by Detroit, once the engine of the US economy, for the last 100 years. This book, written by Micheline Maynard, explains why the Big Three, GM, Ford and Chrysler, lost their grip on the American car industry, giving plenty of examples and in-depth and hard-hitting accounts.

Detroit was once known as the factory of the dream car. Until the mid 1990s, the market dominance of the Big Three seemed to last forever. As a matter of fact, in its days of glory, 9 out of 10 cars sold in America were produced in Detroit. Now however, imported cars from Japan, Europe and Korea are quickly replacing the market.

So what has brought the downfall of the US car industry? The author finds its primary
reason in the over-complacency of the American car manufacturers. Maynard points out the American car manufacturers were shut out and ignored completely by the market because it failed to develop models that customers wanted and instead focused on consolidation. Furthermore, its operations were hampered by strong trade
unions.

Maynard concludes that unless “fundamental changes” are made in the American car industry, “The End of Detroit” will be inevitable. I could not agree more with the author on this point. But I can also say that making those “fundamental changes” will not be an easy task.

The dark projections regarding Detroit’s Big Three have not been raised yesterday or today. The problems that plague the US car industry have been rooting slowing and gradually for the last twenty years. It is just that until now, Detroit has not paid deserved attention or has deliberately chosen to ignore its problems.

Whenever I talk about change, I often make reference to the 100 degree story. Change
cannot be made in one day. It is only when the water temperature hits 100 degrees that water finally turns to vapor. Change occurs slowly and gradually until one day you realize that a fundamental change has occurred.

To give an example, Toyota collected opinions from all its employees in order to achieve KAIZEN or constant improvement and ever-increasing efficiency, and as a result came with a global icon called the “Toyota Way.” This example teaches us that if we are to expect positive changes in the future, we need to make improvements starting today. Do you wish to succeed?

Then make an effort to change yourself, starting from now.

It is announced that Mark Juhn, who has led Hyundai Corporation for 3 years and successfully recovered it from its tormented red figures, consequently turning to black, would leave his office at the end of the next month as his term expires.

On 12th, Hyundai Corp. also announced that Mark pleasurably made his decision to leave his office as he thought his duties are almost done, for instance, the improved corporation’s financial status and new driving forces established in order to make way for his juniors. As a matter of fact, last September, he actually spoke his mind to the creditors that he would like to retire at the end of his term.   

Mark, who is versed in overseas sales as the former president of Hyundai Motors USA and vice president of KIA Motors, has been urgently called instead of the former president, Park Won-jin in March, 2004 and recognized as a successful usinessman, based on his achievements that he made Hyundai Corporation going into red ink turnaround only for 3 years with his unique business philosophy such as ‘speed management’ and ‘100 Celsius theory.’

Hyundai Corporation steered by Mark Juhn could be promptly recovered as fast as his business philosophy, ‘speed management’. Upon the installation, he daringly cleared away inactive business and concentrated on developing new markets and new

products as well as reconstruction such as activating tripartite business, with which he could successfully turn to black in the first year of his office, clearing up red for the last 4 years and keeping it activated for the next 3 consecutive years. Last year, the corporation marked ‘B’ business results, escaped from its impaired capital and elevated stock price up to 19,000 won from 1,700 won, the initial price as he took the office.

In addition, he also made efforts to develop long-term and stable profit sources for the future, not just to improve short-term performance. While concentrating on strategic overseas resource development such as Yemen LNG project and Vietnam 11-2 mining area and securing new driving forces, based on manufacturing, he also organized Qingdao Shipbuilding, a small and mid size shipbuilding company first time in general trading business world, indebted to his energetic leadership.

It is unknown yet what he plan to do after the retirement but it is estimated that he would think of a new job to display his ability on overseas sales as he accumulated about 30 years.

On the other hand, as Mark Juhn retires, the CEO candidates will be recommended to Hyundai Corporation BOD by the personnel committee consisting of the creditors and a new CEO will be appointed in the general stockholder’s meeting in March.