Lynch appointed as CEO of Hyundai

Niall Lynch

He will be replacing Alan Ross, who has served as executive team leader of the company in the Imperial Group for the past 15 years.

Lynch, who has been managing director of Renault South Africa since December 2013, will serve as CEO Designate of Hyundai from 1 January 2016, reporting to Ross until his appointment as CEO of Hyundai on 1 July 2016.

The changes, announced by Mark Lamberti, Group CEO of Imperial Holdings, arose from succession and developmental requirements, and following an extensive recruitment and assessment process.

High calibre leaders

"These appointments signal lmperial's intent to develop a new generation of high calibre leaders and, whenever possible, to do so through internal appointments," said Lamberti.

When Ross retires as CEO of Hyundai Automotive SA on 30 June 2016, he will assume the position of non-executive chairman of the board of Hyundai Automotive SA. He will then take responsibility for transport, logistics, insurance and Bid 4 Cars. Hyundai dealerships will also report to him until 31 December 2016.

Lynch, son of the late Bill Lynch who led Imperial Holdings as CEO until shortly before his death in 2008, started his career at ING Barings Bank London as a mergers and acquisition analyst in 1999 after obtaining B Com and MBS degrees at the University of South Africa and the University College Dublin respectively.

Lynch then returned to South Africa to join Imperial as franchise director for Renault Retail Operations in 2003. In 2008 he joined Eqstra as director of investor relations and strategy before returning to Imperial in 2009 to hold franchise director positions for Honda, Ford and Mazda, and Jaguar and Land Rover.