Standing tall: With more than 35 years’ experience, including senior marketing roles for Lexus, Toyota and Hyundai, Peter Evans is well placed to establish the new Genesis premium brand in Australia.

HYUNDAI has made a significant strategic move with its new Genesis brand in Australia, appointing veteran industry executive Peter Evans – a former head of marketing at the company – to the role of general manager of the fledgling luxury marque.

Mr Evans brings some 36 years of automotive industry experience to the position, most notably at Toyota Australia where over almost a quarter of a century he worked in various senior roles including head of marketing and aftersales for Lexus, and corporate manager for Toyota product planning, marketing communications, strategy and brand enhancement, conversions and accessories, and motorsport.

He had a break from Toyota from 2000 to 2002, joining Hyundai Motor Co Australia (HMCA) as head of marketing, before returning to the Japanese brand.

In 2013, Mr Evans relocated to Singapore as project general manager for Toyota Motor Asia Pacific, specialising in brand and product marketing and assisting distributors throughout the region launch new models and “elevate the brand”.

He left Toyota last year and remained in Singapore to set up his own firm, Moving Target Consulting, but subsequently returned to Australia.

Back at HMCA, Mr Evans will report to chief operating officer Scott Grant – with whom he worked alongside at Toyota over some two decades – and will oversee all aspects of the Genesis business, including sales, aftersales, marketing and dealer development.

“Peter Evans is one of the most knowledgeable and experienced professionals in the automotive industry,” Mr Grant said.

“His enormous energy, skill and enthusiasm will help drive the team forward as we work toward the launch of Genesis as a standalone brand in 2017.”

As GoAuto has reported, HMCA is currently laying the groundwork for the Genesis brand launch next year, with 30 Hyundai dealers from the 165-strong network selected to support the new marque across the country.

The current Hyundai Genesis – to be renamed G80 in conjunction with a forthcoming update – will be the first model to hit the showroom floor in the repurposed network, followed by a BMW 3 Series rival (expected to be known as the G70) in the third quarter. An SUV is scheduled to arrive in 2018.

Mr Evans started his career with Ford in 1980, starting as a product planning engineer on local models (Falcon, Fairlane and LTD) before moving to a new role three years later as supervisor of imported passenger car product planning.

He joined Toyota toward the end of 1985, starting with the Japanese auto giant’ s local commercial vehicle distributor Thiess Toyota as manager in charge of product planning, engineering, accessory development and regulations/compliance.

He then took on a similar role – although broader, with passenger cars included – when Thiess Toyota amalgamated with AMI Toyota to become Toyota Motor Corporation Australia in 1988.

By Terry Martin