Kia Europe appoints Dante Zilli as Marketing Director

• Dante Zilli appointed Marketing Director of Kia Europe, effective 1 May 2026
• Zilli previously served as General Manager of Communications and General Manager of Customer Experience at Kia Europe
• David Hilbert returns to Kia UK as Sales Director after five years at Kia Europe

Kia Europe has appointed Dante Zilli as Marketing Director, effective 1 May 2026. He will report to Pablo Martinez Masip, Vice President Product, Brand & Customer Experience at Kia Europe.

As Marketing Director, Zilli will lead Kia Europe’s Brand strategy, delivering integrated campaigns across key customer touchpoints. His responsibilities include supporting product launches, reinforcing brand consistency, and strengthening customer engagement in line with Kia’s ongoing electrification transformation.

Zilli offers international leadership experience across marketing, commercial operations and customer experience, supported by deep knowledge of European markets. Having worked in six different countries and in several regional headquarters, he offers a strong insight into regional dynamics and evolving customer expectations.

Since joining Kia Europe in 2021, Zilli has held senior roles as General Manager of Communications and General Manager of Customer Experience, contributing to stronger brand positioning and enhanced customer experience standards across Europe.

“I am honoured to take on the responsibility of continuing to build the Kia brand in Europe, building on a period of strong product launches and sustained momentum,” said Dante Zilli. “I look forward to further advancing our ‘Movement that Inspires’ philosophy, to strengthen customer engagement and deliver increased value and relevance across European markets.” 

“Dante combines international marketing expertise with a strong record within Kia Europe,” said Pablo Martinez Masip, Vice President Product, Brand & Customer Experience at Kia Europe. “His proven leadership across communications and customer experience ensures continuity in our marketing approach, while further strengthening the alignment between brand, product, and customer engagement across Europe.”

After five years at Kia Europe, David Hilbert has returned to Kia UK as Sales Director. During his tenure as Marketing Director, Hilbert played a key role in implementing Kia’s brand transformation and advancing the ‘Plan S’ strategy in Europe, including campaigns supporting the EV6, named Car of the Year 2022, and the PV5, awarded International Van of the Year 2025 including the PBV’s first Guinness World Record™ for the PV5.

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