Kia Celebrates 20 years in Canada and Welcomes new Chief Operating Officer & Vice President
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, June 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kia Canada Inc. officially celebrated its twentieth year in Canada last week at an employee celebration that acknowledged the enormous team effort that has contributed to the rapid success of the brand across the country. The celebration was also the perfect opportunity for staff to meet Kia Canada's new Chief Operating Officer, Elias El-Achhab.
Exciting new addition to Kia Canada's leadership team
Kia Canada Inc. is pleased to welcome Elias El-Achhab as the organization's new Chief Operating Officer & Vice President, reporting directly to Kyle Lee, President & CEO, Kia Canada Inc.
A highly accomplished and motivated professional with more than 17 years of experience in many aspects of the automotive industry, Elias brings a strategic mindset and a vast array of skills to the team and will be tasked with leading Kia into its next 20 years of growth.
"As we look to build on a successful first twenty years in Canada, we are very excited to welcome Elias to the team," said Kyle Lee, President & CEO, Kia Canada Inc. "His experience and leadership will play a critical role in bringing some very exciting plans to the Canadian market in both the short and long term."
Elias joins the team from the S. Dilawri Auto Group in Ottawa where he was Vice President, responsible for all facets of business operations for ten dealerships, two of which were the Kia brand.
Celebrating Twenty Years in Canada
In 1999, Kia Canada Inc. opened for business with 43 dealerships and two nameplates ? the Sportage and the Sephia ? finishing that first year with 1,417 vehicles sold. Since that first year, Kia has grown in leaps and bounds to a national network of nearly 200 locations, delivering nearly 75,000 annual sales through an award-winning lineup of eleven nameplates.
The rapid growth of the brand in Canada has been aided by a dramatic improvement and leadership position in both design and manufacturing quality, but accomplished through the hard work of Kia Canada's dedicated employees and dealership staff.
Last week, Kia Canada recognized the contribution that its employees make to the brand's success through a staff celebration at its corporate head office in Mississauga. For the first time ever, all employees from across the country were given the opportunity to come together and appreciate the cross-functional relationships that make the Power to Surprise possible at all levels of the business.
"I'm thrilled to be joining Kia at such an exciting time for the brand," said Elias El-Achhab, Chief Operating Officer & Vice President, Kia Canada Inc. "Having the opportunity to celebrate the collective achievement of this team and meet such a great group of people was the perfect way to start my journey at Kia and I cannot wait to be part of the future that has limitless opportunity for the brand both globally and here in Canada."
More information on Kia and its Canadian lineup of vehicles can be found at KiaMedia.ca.
About Kia Canada Inc.
Kia Canada Inc. (KCI), established in 1999 and celebrating 20 years in Canada, is a subsidiary of Kia Motors Corporation (KMC) based in Seoul, South Korea. Kia's full line of award-winning vehicles offers world-class quality and customer satisfaction through a network of 193 dealers nationwide. The company employs 170 people in its Mississauga, Ontario headquarters, various locations across Canada and at its regional office in Montreal, Quebec. Kia's brand slogan "The Power to Surprise" represents the company's global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation. From compact to crossover to industry leading EV's, every Kia delivers an extraordinary combination of precision engineering, outstanding performance, innovative features, and advanced safety systems. Having sold close to one million vehicles, popular Canadian models include Soul, Forte, Sportage, Sorento and Stinger. To learn more about the Kia advantage, visit kia.ca or Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.
Media Contacts:
Mark James
Corporate Communications Manager, Kia Canada Inc.
T 905-755-6251
E [email protected]
Frederic Tremblay
Directeur relations publiques et marketing de détail ? Région de l'est
PR and Retail Marketing Manager ? ER, Kia Canada Inc.
T 514-955-0505 x 2209
E [email protected]
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