Visiting London for On-Site Management in Europe for the First Time
A Series of Global Initiatives Spanning Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom
Lee Jaehyun, chairman of CJ Group, visited London, England to assess the potential for expanding the group's business in Europe and to secure future growth engines. Following his visits to Japan in April and the United States in August, this move to Europe is seen as a demonstration of his determination to accelerate the expansion of CJ Group's presence in the global market.
On September 22, CJ Group announced that Chairman Lee, accompanied by key executives from the holding company and subsidiaries, visited London starting from September 9. The delegation included Vice Chairwoman Lee Mikyung, CJ Corporation CEO Kim Hongki, CJ ENM CEO Yoon Sanghyun, and Jung Jonghwan, head of content and global business at CJ ENM.
This marks the first time Chairman Lee has conducted on-site management activities in Europe. His visit is interpreted as an effort to highlight the strategic importance of Europe in the group's global expansion. Beginning with his visit to Saudi Arabia last year, Chairman Lee has been ramping up global on-site management, including trips to Japan and the United States this year.
Lee Jaehyun, chairman of CJ Group, is shaking hands with Michael Payne, a sports marketing expert, in London, England. CJ Group
Chairman Lee stated, "To become a global leading company, we must accelerate the expansion of new territories, including Europe," and added, "Following the United States, which serves as the group's global business hub, we must actively identify new growth opportunities in the highly promising European market."
In particular, during a meeting with local employees, Chairman Lee emphasized, "Do not miss the rapidly spreading K-wave in Europe, and quickly secure a foothold in the local market to become a pan-European top-tier player. Please accelerate the pace of global expansion so that Europe can emerge as the next strategic region following the United States."
During this visit, Chairman Lee met with major figures from global think tanks, investment firms, and the entertainment industry to explore local partnership opportunities. He also examined European consumer trends and the local K-trend landscape to review the group's global strategy.
Chairman Lee first met with Len Blavatnik, founder of the global investment firm Access Industries, to discuss the current state of the global media and entertainment market and to explore strategic collaboration for expanding K-content and strengthening platform competitiveness. He also met with Bronwen Maddox, director of Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, one of the world's leading diplomatic and security think tanks, to review the impact of changes in the trade environment on the European market and potential business opportunities.
In a meeting with Georgeun, a professor at the University of Oxford and an expert in K-trends, Chairman Lee examined European cultural consumption trends and the potential for the spread of K-food and K-beauty. Additionally, he met with Khaldoon Al Mubarak, CEO of the United Arab Emirates sovereign wealth fund Mubadala and co-founder of City Football Group, which owns 13 global football clubs including Manchester City FC, as well as Michael Payne, CEO of Payne Sports Media Strategies and the inaugural marketing director of the International Olympic Committee. With these sports experts, he discussed strategies for leveraging sports marketing in global consumer goods and content businesses.
A CJ Group representative stated, "This on-site management in the UK is part of our global expansion across Asia, the Americas, and Europe, and is a strategic move to support the group's future growth," adding, "We plan to build differentiated competitiveness in the global market, focusing on the group's core businesses such as food, beauty, and entertainment."
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