Kia Motors' COO in US Bill Peffer quits within a week after taking charge

Kia Motors' Chief Operating Officer in the United StatesBill Pefferhas decided to step down only after just one week since he took charge of the Korean carmaker's US unit.

Bill Peffer reportedly left the company to pursue new opportunity in the automotive industry. The company didn’t provide any further details on Peffer’s plans. Kia Motors America has not yet appointed a successor to Peffer yet.

Bill Peffer had joined the company in 2017 as the vice president of its sales operations. Kia Motors said Peffer's stint at the company saw its best sales performance last year, helping Kia Motors become the fastest-growing mass market brand in United States.

Kia Motors issued a statement saying, “Kia Motors America’s (KMA) chief operating officer and executive vice president, Bill Peffer, resigned yesterday in conjunction with his pursuit of a new opportunity in the automotive industry."

“Bill Peffer’s contributions helped Kia’s US sales outperform the industry and we are grateful for his service to the company. We sincerely wish him well in the next chapter of his career," said Sean Yoon, president and CEO of Kia Motors North America and Kia Motors America.