Hyundai announced today that Michael J. O’Brien, Vice-President of Product, Corporate and Digital Planning, will be leaving the brand in early February. The automaker explained in their statement on the departure that the executive elected to leave “to pursue other interests.”
O’Brien was recently named a 2019 Automotive News All-Star in product development and is well-regarded by members of the automotive industry.
In 2017, RPM News Weekly spoke with O’Brien following a product presentation at the New England Motor Press Association headquarters in Middleboro for the debut of the then-all-new Hyundai Ioniq.
Here’s a look back at our 2017 Interview with Mike:
O’Brien’s career at Hyundai Motor America spanned nearly two decades, in which he was instrumental in the automaker’s extraordinary growth, including the expansion of its lineup, implementation of quality initiatives and the evolution of its connected-car technologies. O’Brien will officially depart on Feb. 3.
“I would like to thank Mike for his tremendous contributions to Hyundai’s success. It’s impossible to quantify the impact he made in getting our business and product portfolio to where it is today. We all wish Mike clear skies and tailwinds on the next leg of his career journey.”
Brian Smith, COO, Hyundai Motor America
A 30 year industry veteran, O’Brien first joined Hyundai in 1987 and played key roles in product planning and safety equipment and technology standardization. In addition, he was instrumental in advancing product refinement and quality, and spearheaded programs to improve dealer profitability and customer loyalty. Hyundai’s first-ever motorsports program in ProRally is among his other accomplishments.
O’Brien left Hyundai in 1996 for a 14-year stint at Toyota where he oversaw the company’s U.S. product strategy including van, truck and SUV lines as well as powertrain, advanced technology vehicles and regulatory planning.
He returned to Hyundai in 2010 to guide the strategic development of the brand’s entire model lineup for the U.S. market. He also led Hyundai’s corporate planning effort including market research and analytics, and pricing.
More recently, O’Brien led Hyundai’s IT business strategy making Hyundai the first automotive brand to offer Android Auto, and oversaw the launch of some of Hyundai’s advanced technological innovations, such as the Digital Key.
An active search for O’Brien’s replacement is underway, according to Hyundai.
