Hyundai Motor’s Top Executive José Muñoz to Deliver Keynote at Major U.S. Investment Summit

Hyundai Motor Group’s Global COO José Muñoz will be a featured keynote speaker at next month’s SelectUSA Investment Summit, the U.S. government’s flagship event for attracting foreign investment. The high-profile appearance comes as Hyundai accelerates its $21 billion American manufacturing push while navigating new trade challenges.

The June 11-14 summit in National Harbor, Maryland will gather top U.S. officials including the Secretary of Commerce and multiple state governors alongside global business leaders. Muñoz, who serves as Hyundai’s North America CEO, will share the keynote stage with Genentech CEO Ashley Magargee at an event that generated $135 billion in investment commitments last year.

Muñoz is expected to highlight Hyundai’s expanding U.S. footprint, particularly its $12.6 billion electric vehicle metaplant in Georgia that will eventually employ 8,500 workers. The automaker plans to boost the facility’s annual production capacity to 1.2 million vehicles by 2028, including 200,000 additional EVs. This massive investment positions Hyundai as the second-largest EV seller in America behind only Tesla.

The timing carries added significance as the Trump administration prepares to impose 25% tariffs on imported vehicles starting July 3, with auto parts facing similar duties in August. While Hyundai’s Georgia factory won’t open until 2025, the company has been strategically expanding its U.S. supply chain to mitigate tariff impacts. Industry analysts view Muñoz’s keynote as an opportunity to reinforce Hyundai’s commitment to American manufacturing amid these trade policy shifts.

“Hyundai is playing the long game in the U.S. market,” said auto analyst Rebecca Lindland. “Between their Georgia investments and rising EV sales, they’re building political capital that could help navigate tariff challenges.” The company’s U.S. sales have grown 10% year-to-date, with its IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6 among the most popular electric models.

Beyond manufacturing, Hyundai has been investing heavily in American talent development, recently announcing a $30 million partnership with Georgia Tech for mobility research. The SelectUSA appearance may also signal potential new initiatives in battery production or charging infrastructure as the automaker competes with both legacy Detroit brands and Chinese challengers.

With the U.S. auto market at a critical juncture, Muñoz’s speech will be closely watched for clues about how Hyundai plans to balance immediate trade pressures with its ambitious electrification timeline. The company’s ability to turn policy challenges into production opportunities could set the tone for foreign automakers in America’s evolving automotive landscape.