H.S. Lheem, managing director of Hyundai’s Indian subsidiary has been transferred to its Seoul headquarters, the company said in a statement. The transfer will be effective from November 5, 2009. Lheem will be succeeded by H W Park the current Senior Executive Director, Administration & CFO, HMIL who will now take over as the new MD & CEO, HMIL.

Lheem had joined Hyundai Motor India in December, 2005 and was responsible to set up the Korean car manufacturer's second manufacturing unit in Sreeperumbedur, near Chennai, in 2008. Under his leadership HMIL launched new models like the Verna, i10 and the i20, one of the successful models which were produced in this unit for both domestic and the international market.

However, Lheem in the past few months had to tackle a serious labour problem which had resulted in the unit taking a hit in production and even to move the production of i20, meant for European market, to Hyundai's Turkey facility.

“He will assume a senior management position at the Korean headquarters,” said company spokesperson Rajiv Mitra, without specifying what that new role would be.