SEOUL: This is the man charged with safety for Hyundai vehicles globally.
Brian Latouf has been promoted to Hyundai Motor Group president and global chief safety and quality officer, effective Jan 1, 2024. Latouf will report jointly to Jay Chang, Hyundai Motor Company CEO and Ho Sung Song, Kia Corporation CEO.
In this new role, Latouf will be responsible for leading global safety and quality for Hyundai, Genesis and Kia.
He will have full authority to modify and enhance existing safety and quality systems and processes to drive a path to common global standards and best practices.
His scope of leadership includes field issues, safety recalls, safety-based field actions for service campaigns, extended warranties, and other responsibilities. He will also oversee the entire Quality Division, including the processes within R&D and quality gates in preparation for vehicle launches.
Latouf was previously the global chief safety officer for Hyundai Motor Company, a position he held since July 2022.
He is one of the industry’s most respected leaders with more than 30 years of experience in the areas of safety, regulation and certification. He has held a number of executive positions where he has transformed the safety offices for automakers.
Latouf holds a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from Wayne State University in Detroit and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Windsor. He is a regular contributor to a variety of technical publications and presentations.
Latouf will remain based in California with offices at Hyundai Motor Group global headquarters in Seoul and at the Hyundai Safety Test and Investigation Laboratory in Michigan.
