Market Genesis

Hyundai-Kia R&D Center CTO Hyun-Soon Lee has added the top market-research job at the company as it tries to quickly add more value to its products with new technologies and features.

If top engineers stick to their job of engineering only, keeping themselves away from sensing exactly what kind of cars current and potential customers would want in the future, it could have dire consequences for a company. Obviously, this isn't the mistake Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group wants to make.

Unlike at other automakers, Hyundai-Kia's top engineer is now dealing with part of the automaker's marketing efforts. in addition to his role as Chief Technology Officer of Hyundai-Kia Corporate Research and Development (R&D) Division, Hyun-Soon Lee's responsibility has been expanded to include the top job in the market-research department following its split from the marketing and planning division in early 2007.