Huh Se-hong, GS Caltex President's 'Cheongcheong Leadership'

Actively Communicating with Employees... Praised for Leading a Flexible Internal Culture

[Asia Economy Reporters So-yeon Park and Yoon-joo Hwang] On the evening of the 10th, near the GS Tower in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, at an Italian restaurant, a 'handsome' CEO dressed in denim fashion and about twenty employees were clinking wine glasses in a lively atmosphere. It seemed like a gathering of a nearby startup, but some people were wearing GS Group badges. Upon closer look, the handsome CEO in denim fashion was Huh Se-hong, CEO of GS Caltex. As the host of the evening, he led the atmosphere until the end and conversed casually with the employees.

Since his inauguration in January last year, CEO Huh has been evaluated as transforming GS Caltex’s internal culture into a more flexible and horizontal one. Shortly after taking office, he was seen visiting field sites such as the Daejeon Technology Research Center and the Yeosu plant, sharing meals and conversations with employees.

Contrary to expectations that it would be a one-time event, CEO Huh frequently engages in close interactions with employees through dining occasions. The restaurant near GS Tower is well-known as a frequent spot visited by CEO Huh and employees. This is to practice his usual philosophy that sharing a meal makes it easier to open one’s heart.

In this year’s New Year’s address, CEO Huh’s determination to soothe and actively lead the organization can also be seen. He emphasized challenge and change to successfully accomplish GS Caltex’s core tasks and future strategies, urging executives and employees to communicate actively for this purpose.

He also acts as a direct troubleshooter when unfavorable issues arise for GS Group. A representative example is CEO Huh’s official apology last October regarding the manipulation of air pollutant emissions at the Yeosu plant in Jeollanam-do. At that time, CEO Huh met with Yeosu Mayor Kwon Oh-bong and said, "I bow my head in apology to the 300,000 citizens of Yeosu," adding, "We will thoroughly prepare measures to prevent recurrence and fulfill our responsibilities as the number one company in the Yeosu National Industrial Complex."

Meanwhile, CEO Huh will attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos, Switzerland, from the 21st to the 24th as his first overseas business trip of the year. An industry insider said, "Following last year, he is expected to attend the Davos Forum for the second time this year to grasp business trends and conceive new business opportunities for the group."