GM 코리아, 예전 다임러크라이슬러, 쌍용자동차 등 국내외 자동차 업계에서 잘 알려진 김근탁씨(54)가 이르면 올해 안에 출범할 예정인 포르쉐의 한국법인 대표로 결정된 것으로 알려졌다.
대표직을 맡기 앞서 지난주까지 독일의 수트가르트에서 관련 교육을 받고 있던 김씨는 잘 알려진 자동차 판매통에다가 검은머리라는 점에서 더욱 돋보인다고 업계 관계자들이 전했다.
지난해 폭스바겐 그룹으로 편입된 포르쉐는 국내법인인 만큼, 대표는 반드시 한국인으로 임명하겠다는 입장을 종종 표명해왔다. 다른 외국계 자동차 업체는 물론, 폭스바겐의 또 다른 브랜드인 아우디만해도 대표가 외국인임을 봤을 때 더욱 의미있는 결정이 아닐 수 없다고 관계자들은 입을 모았다.
김씨는 2001년부터 2006년까지 GM 코리아 사장을 지냈으며, 과감한 마케팅전략으로 유명세를 떨쳤다. 이에 따라 GM의 캐딜락과 사브 판매량이 눈에 띄게 늘었다.
사내 정치에 휘말려 2006년에 급작스레 퇴사를 결심한 이후 쌍용자동차로 적을 옮긴 김씨는 당시 쌍용차의 모기업 중국상하이자동차그룹 소속이었다.
김씨는 국내 기업으로는 드물게 레이서들을 후원하고 동호회 활동도 활발히 하는 등 마케팅 전략을 펼쳤지만, 상하이그룹의 반대로 대부분 무산되고 결국 물러나게 된 것으로 알려졌다.
한편, 포르쉐의 한국 법인이 세워지면 2005년부터 포르쉐를 한국에 소개해온 수트가르트스포츠카(대표: 마이클 베터)는 "메가딜러"로서의 역할을 담당하게 된다. 수트가르트스포츠카의 한국인 직원들은 내심 포르쉐 한국법인과의 합병을 바라는 눈치라고 전해졌다.
<관련 영문 기사>
Porsche Korea taps ex-GM chief CEO
By Kim Ji-hyun and Lee Ji-yoon
Kim Geun-tak, 53, is a well-known figure in the Korea’s import car industry. A big man with a big talk, he has held several conspicuous posts, including CEO of GM Korea and marketing executive at Ssangyong Motor and former DaimlerChrysler.
And now, Kim has been tapped to take the helm of Porsche Korea, the Korean unit of Porsche. He was recently in Stuttgart, Germany, to receive proper training and last-minute guidance for his new job.
Porsche has so far operated in Korea under Stuttgart Sports Cars. But as early as the latter half of this year, the Korean corporation is expected to open to cater more widely to Korean supercar fans.
Volkswagen Group, which took over Porsche in 2012, made it clear that the Korean unit for Porsche should be headed by a Korean.
This was a rare and promising choice, industry watchers observed, considering that even within Volkswagen, including Audi, the top brass are foreigners.
Following his departure from GM Korea in 2006, Kim relocated to Ssangyong — then a part of the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. — as a marketing executive.
At the time, he received accolades for his efforts to get the carmaker on the map. His campaigns included sponsoring racers, which was rare for Korean carmakers back then. He also supported many of the online clubs for car lovers, especially those who were hardcore fans of the Ssangyong brand.
But Kim was not exactly on the best terms with the Shanghai group, which disapproved of his ambitious marketing plans.
“They didn’t want him to spend money is how we saw it,” said one industry watcher.
He left GM Korea was for similar reasons, others said, saying Kim was forced to leave despite doing a top-notch job.
Once Porsche Korea gets established, Stuttgart Sports Cars will remain as a “mega-dealer,” despite many of its employees hoping for a merger with the Korean unit so that they would also be a part of the Korean corporation.
“That seems unlikely now,” said one source close to the matter.
(
jemmie@heraldcorp.com) (
jylee@heraldcorp.com)
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