Tarun Garg to Lead Hyundai India as First Indian MD & CEO

In a defining moment for Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL), Tarun Garg has been appointed as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) effective January 1, 2026. His elevation marks the first time an Indian executive will lead Hyundai’s operations in India since its entry into the country in 1996.

This leadership transition reflects Hyundai’s growing trust in local talent and its deepening focus on India as a key growth market.

Garg’s Background: Education and Career Milestones

• Tarun Garg is a mechanical engineering graduate from Delhi Technological University and holds an MBA from IIM Lucknow.
• With over 30 years of experience in the automobile industry, his professional journey includes long stints at Maruti Suzuki before joining Hyundai in 2019 as Director of Sales, Marketing, and Service.
• In 2023, he was promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO), where he played a critical role in leading sales, marketing, and strategic operations.
• Under his leadership, Hyundai India posted record-breaking sales for three consecutive years and completed its largest-ever IPO in 2024.

What Makes This Appointment Significant

First Indian to Lead Hyundai India

• Since Hyundai’s arrival in India nearly three decades ago, its top leadership has always been steered by Korean executives.
• Tarun Garg’s appointment is a significant shift towards local empowerment and signals Hyundai’s readiness to trust homegrown leadership to steer its vision forward.

Strategic Growth and Transition

• The outgoing MD & CEO, Unsoo Kim, will take up a strategic global role at Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea.
• This ensures continuity in leadership while allowing for a locally tailored approach under Garg’s command.
• The company has stated that Garg brings a people-first leadership style and a progressive vision, which aligns with Hyundai’s long-term ambitions in India.

Key facts

• Tarun Garg takes over on January 1, 2026
• First Indian to lead Hyundai Motor India since 1996
• Oversaw record sales and India’s largest auto IPO in 2024
• Hyundai announced $5.07 billion investment till FY 2030