Ham Young-joo's Second Term to Accelerate Value-Up and Non-Bank Expansion
Judicial Risks Remain
Ham Young-joo, Chairman of Hana Financial Group (69), has succeeded in securing a second term.
On the 25th, Hana Financial Group held its regular shareholders' meeting at the Myeongdong headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul, where the agenda to appoint Chairman Ham as an inside director was approved. This extends Chairman Ham's term until March 2028.
The Hana Financial Chairman Candidate Recommendation Committee (Chairman Committee) evaluated Chairman Ham as "a candidate with proven sufficient experience and capability to cope with domestic and international political instability and increased financial market volatility."
With this successful reappointment, Chairman Ham is expected to focus on value-up (enhancing corporate value) plans and strengthening non-bank sectors.
In an interview with an in-house announcer published on the Hana Financial Group website on the 27th of last month, he cited enhancing corporate value, or 'value-up,' as the most important issue he has pursued as the group CEO over the past three years.
At that time, Chairman Ham stated, "Hana Financial will continue to expand shareholder returns to achieve a total shareholder return ratio of 50% by 2027," adding, "The core of value-up is to efficiently utilize limited capital and create a sustainable profit structure, focusing on strengthening the non-bank business portfolio."
Born in 1956, Chairman Ham is a self-made figure who rose from a high school graduate bank clerk to CEO of a financial holding company.
Originally from Buyeo, Chungnam, he graduated from Ganggyeong Commercial High School and joined Seoul Bank as a high school graduate clerk in 1980. Later, when Seoul Bank merged with Hana Bank, he joined Hana Financial Group.
He is known as a 'sales expert' who led the Hana Bank Chungcheong Sales Group to achieve the number one nationwide sales performance.
Along with his sales achievements, he was recognized for his affability and strong trust, leading to his appointment as the inaugural bank president after the merger of Hana Bank and Korea Exchange Bank in 2015.
He then served as vice chairman of Hana Financial Group before becoming chairman in 2022.
Under Chairman Ham's leadership, Hana Financial Group recorded its highest-ever performance last year with a net profit of approximately KRW 3.7388 trillion.
Hana Bank maintained its position as the leading bank for two consecutive years in 2022 and 2023, and Hana Card's overseas travel-specialized product 'Travelog' also gained great popularity.
Meanwhile, Chairman Ham still faces judicial risks related to hiring irregularities.
He was indicted on charges of obstructing business related to employee recruitment during his tenure as Hana Bank president. Although acquitted in the first trial, in November 2023, the second trial sentenced him to six months in prison with a two-year probation and a fine of KRW 3 million. If a guilty verdict is upheld by the Supreme Court during his term, he must immediately step down.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
