LG Selects Many Young Talents, 37-Year-Old Woman Executive Director Emerges

Mass Appointment of 124 New Executives and Young Talents to Accelerate Future Preparation
Most CEOs Retained, Balancing New and Old to Address Management Uncertainty, 'Innovation Within Stability'

Koo Kwang-mo, Chairman of LG Group Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Changhwan Lee] LG Group announced on the 26th that it has conducted executive appointments for 2021 through the boards of directors of its affiliates.

The most notable feature of this personnel move is the large-scale promotion and forward placement of young talents, including 124 newly promoted executives.

In particular, some affiliates have seen the emergence of executives in their 30s born in the 1980s for the second consecutive year.

The youngest executive promoted this year is Ji Hyekyung, Executive Director of LG Household & Health Care's China Digital Business Division (born in 1983, 37 years old, female), and a total of three new executives born in the 1980s were appointed this year following last year.

LG emphasized that to prepare for the future, it newly appointed 124 executive directors, an increase from 106 last year, and strategically placed young and driven talents who can respond swiftly and flexibly to changes based on a relentless focus on customers.

Among the newly appointed executive directors, 24 are under the age of 45, showing an increase from 21 in each of the past two years.

This personnel move reflects LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo's 'pragmatism,' aiming to break away from inertia by boldly selecting and giving opportunities to competitive young talents to drive business strongly, while maintaining experienced top management to strengthen crisis management capabilities and firmly establish a foundation for sustainable growth.

In fact, Chairman Koo recently urged through business report meetings with affiliate CEOs that "qualitative change and qualitative growth that customers can actually feel are important," and emphasized the need to select and nurture talents with execution ability and expertise to lead future growth and change.

Additionally, most affiliate CEOs were retained, and the number of presidents promoted for continuous performance in business and staff divisions increased to five, up from the previous year. Newly appointed presidents include Sangkyu Lee, President of LG Electronics Korea Sales Headquarters; Boik Son, CEO of Silicon Works; Jiwung Son, President of LG Chem Life Sciences Business Division; Myungkwan Lee, President of LG Inhwa; and Bangsu Lee, Head of LG Corporation CSR Team.

The number of female executives also increased. This year, a record high of 15 women were promoted, including four to executive vice president and 11 newly appointed executives, continuing the trend of expanding female executives.

LG Display (Heeyeon Kim, Executive Vice President), LG Uplus (Myeonghee Yeo and Saera Kim, Executive Vice Presidents), and two other affiliates produced their first female executive vice presidents. LG Chem appointed its first female executive vice president (Soohee Yoon) at the Life Sciences Business Division level.