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 at other Volkswagen brands including Audi, the top brass are foreigners.

Following his departure from GM Korea in 2006, Kim relocated to Ssangyong ― then a part of 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 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.

By Kim Ji-hyun and Lee Ji-yoon
(jemmie@heraldcorp.com) (jylee@heraldcorp.com)