John Krafcik previously served as Vice President of Product Development and Strategic Planning for Hyundai. Krafcik joined Hyundai in April, 2004. Prior to that position, he had worked at Ford Motor Company.

Krafcik holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University and earned a Master of Science degree in Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management in 1988. Krafcik began his career in the auto industry at the GM/Toyota joint-venture NUMMI, and later became an industry consultant on lean production.