Hyundai Motor Group taps former bp executive Hong Eun-hee to lead hydrogen business

Hong spent 18 years at bp overseeing global energy operations

Led bp's global hydrogen business development from 2023

Brings hands-on experience in LNG, hydrogen and ammonia

Predecessor Ken Ramirez resigned voluntarily

Hong Eun-hee, the new head of Hyundai Motor Group's HMG Energy & Hydrogen Business Division [Hyundai Motor Group]

Hyundai Motor Group has recruited Hong Eun-hee, a former bp executive who spent 18 years at the global energy company leading its hydrogen operations, to head its energy and hydrogen division. The appointment hands the reins to an outside specialist with global business development experience as the group expands beyond hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles into the broader energy value chain — covering hydrogen production, supply and infrastructure.

Hyundai Motor Group announced Monday that Hong had been named the new head of its HMG Energy & Hydrogen Business Division. In the role, she will oversee the group's energy and hydrogen strategy, new business development, investment review and global partnership building.

Born in 1977, Hong studied English education and business administration at Ewha Womans University before earning an MBA from the University of Chicago. She worked at P&G Korea and the Export-Import Bank of Korea before joining bp in 2007. At the Export-Import Bank, she handled project financing for international ship finance.

At bp, she gained broad experience across oil, LNG, hydrogen and ammonia. Her work spanned structuring business models from resource development through supply and transportation, evaluating investment returns, and managing contract design, negotiations and strategy.

Particularly notable was her role in the Angola LNG project, where she handled business structuring and contract design covering everything from resource development to long-term supply and transportation. The work gave her exposure to the full spectrum of the energy industry — from upstream exploration and production to downstream refining and sales, as well as energy commodity trading.

In 2021, she was appointed chief of staff to bp's head of technology. The following year she took charge of a newly established hydrogen and ammonia business development unit. From 2023, she led bp's global hydrogen business development organization, conducting policy discussions with governments and identifying new hydrogen business models based on customer demand.

The appointment reflects Hyundai Motor Group's push to develop hydrogen not merely as a vehicle fuel but as a full-scale energy business. The group is expanding its scope — from hydrogen production and storage to transportation, refueling and mobility applications — under HTWO, its hydrogen brand and business platform.

HTWO Energy Cheongju hydrogen refueling station. [Hyundai Motor Group]

In July, the group opened its first waste-based hydrogen production and refueling facility operated directly by the group — HTWO Energy Cheongju, in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. The facility uses biogas from sewage sludge to produce about 500 kilograms of hydrogen per day, with plans to expand capacity to 2 tons per day by 2030. The group is also pursuing hydrogen projects in Indonesia and Hong Kong.

Hyundai Motor Group plans to accelerate the overseas expansion of its hydrogen business by leveraging Hong's global network and business development experience. The group aims to strengthen a commercialization framework that goes beyond strategy to encompass actual investment, business development and partner acquisition.

"Hyundai Motor Group has already built meaningful achievements across the entire hydrogen value chain — from hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles to clean hydrogen production and refueling infrastructure," Hong said. "Drawing on my experience in global energy and hydrogen, I will work to identify new business opportunities and enhance global competitiveness in Hyundai Motor Group's future energy sector."

Meanwhile, Ken Ramirez, the previous head of the HMG Energy & Hydrogen Business Division, is understood to have resigned voluntarily for personal reasons.

kwater@heraldcorp.com