SangYup Lee, executive vice president and head of the Hyundai and Genesis global design centre, has been named World Car Person of the Year 2023.
It is the second year running a Hyundai Motor Group executive has won the award. The 2022 World Car Person of the Year was the South Korean auto giant’s design president and chief creative officer Luc Donckerwolke.
Lee has been at Hyundai since 2016. He previously worked at Volkswagen AG, where he oversaw the Bentley Continental GT and Flying Spur. He was also involved, alongside Donckerwolke, with the design of the Bentayga.
Prior to that, Lee was at GM, where he led design of the 2010 fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro.
South Korean SangYup Lee studied at the famous ArtCenter College of Design in California.
Collective passion
At Hyundai, Lee has already been involved in the Hyundai Ioniq 6, the upcoming new Hyundai Kona and the stunning Hyundai N Vision 74 concept.
“This honour is not the recognition of an individual but a testament to a shared collective passion for creativity encouraged by the dedication of Hyundai top management who set us high standards to achieve,” he said.
“It is the unwavering diligence of the many talented people who contribute to making Hyundai Design what it is today.
“Hyundai is taking on many challenges, but this is just the beginning. We believe our greatest achievements lie ahead of us.”
SangYup Lee was one of five finalists for the 2023 World Car Person of the Year award. The others, fellow leaders in the auto industry, included:
- Wang Chuanfu, chairman and president of BYD
- Dr. Stella Clarke, research engineer, open innovations, BMW Group
- Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO, Lucid Motors
- Naoyuki Sakamoto, chief engineer, GR Corolla, GAZOO Racing Company, Toyota Motor Corporation
The World Car Person of the Year is one of seven awards presented each year by World Car Awards.
The awards initiative is the largest in the world, claiming the top spot for the 10th consecutive year in 2022.
The countdown is now on for the 2023 awards, which will be presented on April 5 live from the New York International Auto Show.
- Which cars are finalists for World Car Awards 2023? Find out here
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