Newsweek's inaugural awards honoring the "World's Greatest Auto Disruptors" was a roaring success. The awards were handed out at an in-person ceremony held at Newsweek's headquarters at One World Trade Center.
The World's Greatest Auto Disruptors awards recognized executives and companies that raised the bar for carmakers in 2021. The distinguished list of winners reflects the rapidly changing, increasingly competitive, and impact driven automotive landscape in which sustainability, mobility solutions, alternative fuels, and other technologies are inspiring progress in leaps and bounds.
From investing in the evolution of batteries, robotics, and connected technologies, to transforming brand design at breakneck speed, these disruptors are transforming how we drive and proving that the future is already here.
The 'World's Greatest Auto Disruptors' of 2022
VISIONARY OF THE YEAR
Euisun Chung, Executive Chair, Hyundai Motor Group
EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
Jim Farley, President and CEO, Ford Motor Company
DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President, Global Design, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TEAM OF THE YEAR
Hyundai Motor Group
POWERTRAIN OF THE YEAR
Hyundai Motor Group
MARKETING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
Land Rover
"Newsweek is proud to celebrate auto manufacturers that are successfully disrupting the global automotive industry," said Newsweek President and CEO Dev Pragad. "The World's Greatest Auto Disruptors 2022 event at Newsweek's global headquarters, encompassing the 72nd floor of One World Trade, honored the boldest of auto innovators. These manufacturers are audaciously upending the usual flow of business to improve the lifestyle of drivers, riders, and owners. We congratulate the winners and look forward to seeing how each will disrupt the industry this year."
"Today's leading automakers are pushing the boundaries in ways that keep us moving and also capture the imagination," said Nancy Cooper, Global Editor in Chief, Newsweek. "The disruptors on this list deserve to be recognized for pushing the industry forward, as well as for their leadership in responding to the challenges brought on by the pandemic."
"There are two words to describe the evolving automotive landscape: bigger and bolder," said Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, Senior Editor of Autos, Newsweek. "We created this award and the podcast to capture the rapid speed of innovation, the emerging culture of impact and sustainability, and the visionary leaders who are making it all a reality by taking enormous risks."
The event also included a panel discussion hosted by Falkenberg-Hull and Nicole Wakelin, a journalist with over a decade of experience on the autos beat. The guests on the panel were:
- Stephanie Brinley, Principal Automotive Analyst at S&P Global Mobility;
- Ed Kim, President and Chief Analyst at Auto Pacific; and
- Tyson Jominy, Vice President of Data & Analytics at J.D. Power.
Newsweek launched their newest podcast, "Fast Women," on April 12, 2022. Hosted by Eileen Falkenberg Hull and Nicole Wakelin, the two journalists will take us on their wild adventures around the world while test driving the newest cars, staying at fancy hotels, and discovering local cuisine. Episode 1 will feature reviews on the KIA EV6 and the new Lincoln Navigator in conjunction with stops at a Napa Valley resort and a visit to Scottsdale, Arizona.
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