Kumho Tire USA names Nam Hwa Cho new CEO

ATLANTA—Kumho Tire Co. Inc. has appointed Nam Hwa "Ed" Cho as chief executive officer of North America, effective Oct. 1. He will also lead the sales and operations efforts for Kumho's Canada and South American divisions.

Cho replaces Yongsik Shin, who served as head of the America business division, overseeing the company's three main businesses in North America, since 2019.

Cho has a 30-year history at Kumho Tire, where he has held various leadership positions as the managing director of Kumho Australia and Kumho USA, as well as the senior vice president of global supply chain management and global marketing.

He received his MBA from Purdue University and joins Kumho Tire USA after his most recent position within the company as the president of its European branch.

With his extensive knowledge of the industry and the company's operations, Cho will continue to lead and grow Kumho Tire from his new role in North America.

"The tire industry is ever-changing, and our plan is to strategically work with our customers for continued growth together," Cho said. "We have a strong team here at KUSA that will continue to support our dealers from every angle of the business towards success as well as enhancement of the brand."

Kumho was ranked the No. 17 largest tire maker in the world in the most recent Tire Business, a sister publication to Rubber News, Global Tire Report with $2.27 billion in tire sales in 2021.