LOS ANGELES — Kia America has named Eric Watson vp of gross sales operations, overseeing the automaker’s regional and company gross sales operations within the U.S.

Watson, who has been performing vp of gross sales operations since March, begins his new function instantly and reviews to Kia North America CEO Sean Yoon, Kia stated in a information launch Monday.

By means of July, Kia has achieved 5 consecutive month-to-month gross sales data and reached report U.S. market share, in keeping with the automaker.

Kia America’s earlier head of gross sales operations, Invoice Peffer, resigned immediately in January — one week after additionally assuming the title of COO. Peffer was named CEO of Maserati North America shortly after leaving Kia.

Watson joined Kia in December 2017 as director of area operations. Earlier than that, Watson labored for Mazda North American Operations for eight years. His final put up at Mazda was director of selling operations, in keeping with his LinkedIn profile.

Watson has additionally labored at Jaguar Land Rover North America and Ford Motor Co. He graduated from Brigham Younger College in 1996 with a bachelor of science diploma in advertising and marketing, in keeping with his LinkedIn profile.