Pablo Rosso, president and managing director of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Korea, has been appointed as the 13th chairman of the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association, according to the association on Wednesday. 

He will be the first foreign chairman and serve a two-year term from April. 

The association said that Rosso’s wide understanding and experience in the imported car industry had been considered to solve the tasks the industry now faces.

“The imported car industry expects that Rosso will represent the voices of member companies in a balanced and cooperative manner,” the association said in a statement. 

Rosso, who has been leading FCA Korea since 2013, began his career as a logistic engineer at IVECO Engines Business Unit in 1998. He served as head of the Fiat-Chrysler India joint venture project in 2011.

Along with Rosso, Mercedes-Benz Korea CEO Dimitris Psillakis, Audi Volkswagen Korea Managing Director Rene Koneberg and Toyota Motor Korea CEO Takemura Nobuyuki will serve as new vice chairmen. 

Jaguar Land Rover Korea Managing Director Baek Jung-hyun and FMK CEO Kim Kwang-cheol will serve as directors. 

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)