As leadership turnover deepens and the vehicle program pauses, questions rise over Supernal’s path forward in the crowded eVTOL race.
Leadership Exodus Escalates at Supernal
Hyundai Motor Group’s air mobility startup Supernal is facing a deepening leadership shake-up, just weeks after it paused development of its electric air taxi program and lost both its CEO Jaiwon Shin and CTO.
- Now, three more top executives have departed:
- Jaeyong Song, Chief Strategy Officer (and former VP of Hyundai’s AAM group)
- Tracy Lamb, Chief Safety Officer
- Lina Yang, Chief of Staff to the former CEO
Supernal confirmed the exits to TechCrunch on Friday, as part of what it called a “strategic review” during the leadership transition.
A Strategic Reset—or a Red Flag?
In its statement, Supernal positioned the changes as part of a broader realignment with its long-term goals.
“As we transition to new leadership, we have taken the opportunity to strategically review our program’s progress and next steps,” the company said.
While Hyundai reiterated its commitment to the advanced air mobility (AAM) sector, the string of executive exits and program setbacks paint a picture of instability during a critical moment for the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) industry.
Who Are the Departing Executives?
- Jaeyong Song was one of Supernal’s most experienced AAM strategists, having spent nearly a decade at Hyundai-Kia and serving as VP of Hyundai’s AAM group before joining Supernal full-time in 2023.
- Tracy Lamb, a respected safety leader and former commercial pilot, brought deep aerospace compliance expertise.
- Lina Yang had previously served as Head of Intelligent Systems until April 2025, before becoming Chief of Staff.
None of the executives provided public comment, and the timing suggests internal realignments may be broader than disclosed.
A Difficult Year for Supernal
These leadership exits cap a challenging 2024–2025 period for the Hyundai-backed startup:
- End of 2024: Supernal abruptly shut down its Washington, D.C. headquarters.
- March 2025: It achieved its first test flight, a milestone long in the making.
- Mid-2025: The company conducted layoffs impacting dozens of employees.
- September 2025: Announced it would pause work on its air taxi, citing strategic reassessment.
Industry at a Crossroads
The turmoil at Supernal comes as the eVTOL industry enters a crucial commercialization phase:
- Companies like Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, and Volocopter are moving forward with certification and strategic partnerships.
- The U.S. regulatory environment has grown more favorable, encouraging accelerated timelines.
- Yet some early players have gone out of business due to financial and technical hurdles.
Supernal’s current pause may be an attempt to avoid premature scaling, but the sustained leadership losses could jeopardize its competitive standing.
