Robert Playter has resigned as chief executive of Boston Dynamics, the Waltham, Massachusetts-based robotics company owned by Hyundai Motor Group, the firm said on its X account.
The leadership change was followed by notable moves in Korean equity markets. Hyundai Motor shares rallied 5.9% in Seoul trading on Wednesday, and Kia's stock increased by 4.6% as investors reacted to the news.
Market analysts and brokerage notes cited the resignation as a catalyst for heightened expectations around Hyundai's strategy for moving its robotics unit toward commercial operations. "The stock appeared to have risen because of the news about the resignation of the CEO," said James Hong, Seoul-based analyst at Macquarie, adding that Playter's team had been "R&D-oriented" for robot development.
In addition to the leadership update, a media report that Boston Dynamics' robot dogs have been deployed to work at a nuclear power plant in Britain was flagged by Seoul-based Daishin Securities as a factor that helped lift Hyundai Motor's shares.
Hyundai Motor Group, which controls Hyundai and Kia, acquired a majority stake in Boston Dynamics in 2021. The group has signaled plans to integrate the unit's technology into its operations: in January, Hyundai said it intends to deploy humanoid robots made by Boston Dynamics at its U.S. manufacturing plant in Georgia.
The developments around executive leadership, reported deployments, and stated deployment plans in the U.S. have intersected with investor sentiment in the auto and robotics sectors, producing immediate market reactions for both Hyundai Motor and Kia.
Contextual note - The company posted the resignation notice publicly on its X account; market commentary and broker notes referenced above linked the departure to shifting expectations for commercialization of robotics assets within Hyundai Motor Group. No additional timeline or successor information was provided in the announcement.