"We do things that scare us" Mike Song Global CEO Talk   On March 15, students of the Global MBA program at Korea University Business School participated in an engaging Global CEO talk hosted by Mike Song, the global head of Genesis at Hyundai Motors. The session took place in room #412 of the Hyundai Motors building, where Mike shared insights acquired from his illustrious 31-year tenure with Hyundai Motors, along with his recent leadership role at Genesis.   Mike's journey began in 1993 when he joined Hyundai Motors, marking the genesis of his remarkable professional trajectory. Over the years, he held diverse roles within the organization, demonstrating unwavering commitment and exceptional leadership qualities. From serving as the executive coordinator for Hyundai Motors, Canada, to heading sales and development in California, USA, Mike's journey showcased his resilience and adaptability.     In 2016, Mike joined the Dubai office, assuming the role of Head of Hyundai Motors Company, overseeing operations across 74 countries in the Middle East and Africa. However, in 2020, reconnecting with his homeland in Korea marked the beginning of Mike's transformative path, ultimately leading him to his pivotal position as the global head of Genesis.   As a global head, he prioritizes efficiency and excellence in his approach to work, emphasizing the importance of delivering quality results without unnecessary complexity. Rather than working long hours without tangible outcomes, he advocates for being both a diligent worker and a strategic thinker.     Described as quick and agile, Mike embodies the fast-paced nature of Hyundai's operations. He emphasizes the importance of looking ahead to anticipate competitors' moves and plan for the future. While he appreciates the benefits of moving quickly, Mike recognizes the need for balance, understanding that speed may limit the depth of analysis.   Drawing from his experiences, Mike has learned important lessons centered on freedom, flexibility, and freshness. These principles guide his leadership style, emphasizing adaptability and innovation. The session then proceeded with Mike explaining the working culture at Genesis. He emphasized minimizing hierarchy and encouraging open communication, fostering an environment where innovation thrives.   Genesis has embraced a bold approach to innovation, challenging conventional wisdom and venturing into uncharted territory. Despite initial skepticism, their daring decisions have propelled them to become a leading luxury brand, now eight years strong. With nearly equal gender representation among its diverse workforce, Genesis embodies progressiveness and inclusivity.     Reflecting its name, Genesis embodies the essence of Korean identity, blending tradition with modernity to create something truly unique. By prioritizing design, technology, and hospitality, Genesis aims to provide a transformative and unforgettable experience for its customers. At the heart of Genesis is a commitment to customer satisfaction, rooted in Korean hospitality principles of respect and generosity.   Further on being asked “How Genesis chooses the markets it wants to be in?” Mike elaborated that Genesis's approach to expanding into new markets is guided by a commitment to targeting mature luxury markets and fostering confidence among investors, customers, and partners in delivering exceptional customer experiences.   The rapid growth of Genesis, achieving 1 million units in just 7 years and 10 months, underscores its dedication to prioritizing customer experience over sheer volume. Rather than focusing solely on scaling production capacity, Genesis prioritizes enhancing the customer journey, confident that increased volume will naturally follow.   Recognizing the unique characteristics of each market, Genesis is committed to delivering exceptional hospitality tailored to meet the diverse needs of its global customer base. As a brand, Genesis seeks to disrupt industry norms, striving to be a rule breaker today and a rule maker tomorrow.     Their corporate strategy revolves around differentiation, prioritizing brand and customer experience over conforming to industry standards. By embracing bespoke programming and offering personalized customization options, Genesis aims to set itself apart in the market. In serving their customer base, Genesis recognizes the importance of catering to various customer segments, including those with purchasing power and those who may not be immediate buyers but contribute to brand recognition.   He concluded the session by stating that by appealing to all senses and delivering a holistic sensory experience, Genesis aims to cultivate deeper connections with its customers, driving brand loyalty and satisfaction.

“Impact of AI on Marketing”…Blair Abbott, Mirae Asset Global Investments   In any business, the ultimate goal is to reach a stage where, even without direct clients or investors, the pillars of product innovation, stronger distribution, and effective brand building become salespeople for you - Words of advice from Blair Abbott’s Global CEO Talk.     On March 8th, Blair Abbott, the Director of the Global Business Strategy Unit at Mirae Assets Global Investments, led a captivating lecture for Global MBA students at Korea University as part of the Global CEO Talk series. The session was held in room 412 of Hyundai Motor Hall, covering crucial topics such as asset management, investment capabilities, the role of AI in marketing and sales, and an exploration of Mirae Assets' dynamic global presence, followed by an engaging Q&A.     First, Abbott commenced the session by sharing insights into his career in Korea, focusing on his contribution in Mirae Assets' three core pillars: Corporate Strategy, Sales and Distribution, and Marketing. He outlined the establishment of Mirae Assets in 1997 in Korea, which expanded globally with the opening of its first overseas office in Hong Kong in 2003. The core functions were to enhance investment capabilities for Korean investors and broaden their distribution footprint, leading to further expansions in Asia, the UK, the US, and Brazil.     In his role as the head of Global Marketing and Sales, Blair Abbott oversees the design and execution of strategic initiatives related to marketing, sales, and business development.   A central theme of the lecture was the industry's transition from mutual funds to Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), vividly described by Abbott as "funds as flip phones and ETFs as smartphones," underscoring the latter's significance in Mirae Assets' business strategy.     Key takeaways included the efficient utilization of data and marketing strategies, understanding client journeys, employing both analog and digital data points, and leveraging tools like Pardot for email campaigns. Finally, Abbott concluded the lecture by emphasizing the crucial role of data in digital marketing, addressing challenges like data fatigue, and advocating for accurate, fresh data.      He shared valuable insights into the impact of AI on marketing teams, highlighting the use of tools such as Einstein by Salesforce. The session wrapped up with a discussion on personalization in digital experiences and the delicate balance needed to avoid inefficiency.

“Gratitude Leads to Success”… Starkey Korea's CEO, Sangdon Shim   On March 14th, Korea University Business School (Dean=Sangyong Kim) hosted a Global CEO Lecture in Hyundai Motor Hall, Room 202. The Global CEO Lecture series invites current CEOs or top executives weekly to share their valuable experiences and management principles. Sangdon Shim, CEO of Starkey Korea, delivered the lecture on the day.      CEO Shim is an alumnus of KU Graduate School of Business Administration and has served as the 33rd president of the Korea University MBA Alumni Association. He has been the CEO of Starkey Korea, the Korean branch of Starkey Hearing Technologies in the United States, since 1996. Starkey Korea is the leading hearing aid company in the domestic market, ranking first in market share and customer satisfaction. In 2023, they launched the GENESIS AI hearing aid, which incorporates artificial intelligence technology.    During his lecture on "A Balanced Life," CEO Shim recalled how his service as a KATUSA (Korean Augmentation To the United States Army) and managing emergency room medical equipment at the time led him to the hearing aid business. Among various management principles, he emphasized the synergistic effects between businesses and cultural arts. In this context, he explained the Medici Effect, which occurs when combining elements from different fields results in greater energy than the sum of each element's energy.      Following this, CEO Shim shared his views on life, dividing his life into △work, △arts and culture, △philanthropy and service, △health, and △patriotism. He said, "In my life, passion was the theme of my twenties, positivity in my thirties, humility in my forties, love in my fifties, and now in my sixties, it's 'gratitude.' I still write in my gratitude journal every day and would recommend it to you all. It's okay to feel gratitude for the simple things in everyday life." He added, "Those who know how to be grateful for happiness can feel true happiness."      Meanwhile, Minju Kim (Business School 20) said, "As a student in my twenties, the hearing aid business was a challenging topic to approach, but it was well explained. Not only did he talk about business, but also sharing insights into life's direction was meaningful." 

"Do not hesitate, take action" - Global CEO Lecture by Youngsik Kim, former CEO of Chunho Food (now ChunhoNCare)    On November 9th, a Global CEO Talk hosted by the Korea Univeristy Business School (Dean= Sangyong Kim) took place in Room 333 of the Hyundai Motor Hall. The speaker for this special lecture was Youngsik Kim, the former CEO of Chunho Food (now ChuhoNCare). Chunho Food (now ChunhoNCare) is a company that specializes in health food and functional health foods, selling products such as health juices, health sticks, and functional health foods. Youngsik Kim founded Chunho Food's predecessor, Chunho Corporation in 1984 and served as the CEO of Chunho Food. CEO Kim gained public attention through active marketing campaigns, including appearing as the TV model for their product 'Sansuyu 1000 Premium.' Currently, he is involved in social contribution activities, such as establishing the Kim Youngsik Foundation for Supporting Childbirth.      Firstly, Kim explained his career and the background of establishing Chunho Food. He revealed that overcoming the aftereffects of a traffic accident by eating snails was the starting point for entering the health food business. Kim emphasized the importance of setting goals by stating, "Observing successful people and adopting their attitudes is crucial," and "Keeping habit of imagination is the foundation of success."    CEO Kim also introduced Chunho Food's proactive marketing strategy. In 2000, he launched the flagship product of Chunho Food, SanSuyu, and sent a letter and SanSuyu to President Bush of the United States. Kim stated, "I received a reply from President Bush," and added, "After that, I delivered inauguration gifts to presidents of about 25 countries." To promote their products, Kim engaged in proactive marketing activities, such as embarking on a bicycle expedition for nationwide promotion. He explained, "By personally demonstrating the effects of the product, I wanted to vividly showcase its efficacy to the public."      The special lecture concluded with a Q&A session and advice on career paths. CEO Kim emphasized the qualities necessary for entrepreneurs by stating, "Setting clear goals and values and promptly putting them into practice are crucial." 

Discover Your Own Way of Living through Experience.. Global CEO Talk by Kyungseon Chung   On October 27th, the Global CEO Talk, organized by Korea University Business School (Dean= Kim Sangyong) took place in Room #433 of the LG-POSCO Business Hall. The speaker for the special lecture was Kyungsun Chung, a graduate of the 2005 class of KUBS, who has pursued an MBA at Columbia University in the US and went on to establish Root Impact and HGI, where he currently serves as the CEO. Additionally, Kyungsun Chung is the grandson of the late Hyundai Group founder Juyoung Chung and the eldest son of Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Group chariman Mongyoon Chung.     Firstly, Kyungsun Chung introduced himself, highlighting that being the grandson of chairman Juyoung Chung served as a foundation for pursuing non-profit activities. This background significantly influenced his decision to venture into social enterprises, emphasizing Chairman Juyoung Chung’s belief that social enterprises should focus on job creation.       During his time at KUBS, Kyungsun Chung founded the Event Planning Club, “KUSPA” at Korea University, and Creative Share in 2008. Both were initiated with the pledge ‘to change the reality where socially ethical youth are mistreated,’ marking the beginning of his journey as a social entrepreneur. Through KUSPA and Creative Share, he invited social entrepreneurs, organized talk concerts and established a university alliance club. Continuing these events, he promoted them and shared a social perspective with people. CEO Kyungsun Chung recommended these activities to the students, saying “these activities were beneficial during my time at KUBS.”     Subsequently in 2012, Kyungsun Chung founded Root Impact as his first challenge. Root Impact contemplated on how to contribute to the society and eventually decided to focus on social and environmental issues. Selecting Seongsu as a social venture cluster, he explained that “its status as an industrial area made it affordable, convenient in terms of transportation and it is also close to Gangnam.” Currently Root Impact is discovering and educating change-makers, fostering an ecosystem.     While Root Impact focused on education change-makers, HGI is an investment company assisting financial support for social ventures like Root Impact. HGI has invested in over 10 companies, keeping an eye on climate and environmentally friendly actions (alternative energy, energy efficiency) and innovations for sustainable living (agricultural technology, food technology, digital solutions.) Kyungsun Chung shared this investment philosophy, saying that “more money and people are converging into ESG funds” and “The importance of ESG is increasing.”      Additionally, Kyungsun Chung highlighted climate crisis and aging as prominent issues we face. Due to the slower progress in science and technology compared to previous years, healthcare expenditures are significantly impacting GDP. Consequently, he emphasized “The need to talk about what is necessary and what is good or bad when we do something has increased.”     The lecture concluded with a Q&A session. First, one student asked about the profitability of social enterprises. Profitability of social enterprises is a big problem for the sustainability of social enterprises. Kyungsun Chung answered “social enterprises sustain themselves through investments and sponsorships, with profits coming from areas such as investments and revenue rather than sales. Regarding the most important consideration in investment decisions, he emphasized ‘potential.’ He explained that ‘potential’ is assessed based on how much people need it, focusing on social value and suitability. Finally, he ended his lecture with advice to the students.      “Meet people from diverse background and engage in conversations. It will become an opportunity to think about diverse issues and problems. Also, strive to find your own way of living through various experiences. There is no specific condition to become a successful entrepreneur, and anyone can become one.”  

“Follow what you love as your goal," …  CEO Etienne Gautheron’s Global CEO Talk    On September 15th, the Global CEO Talk, organized by Korea University Business School (Dean= Kim Sangyong), was held at the LG-POSCO Business Hall, room 433. At this event, Etienne Gautheron, the Executive Director of Jellyfish and Co-President of FrenchTech Seoul, gave a special lecture. The event included △introduction of the speaker △ introduction of business in Korea and free storytelling △Q&A session. Jellyfish provides digital marketing platforms and information to various companies worldwide. FrenchTech, where Etienne Gautheron is serving as Co-President, promotes collaborative relationships between startups, businesses, and governments in France and South Korea to facilitate business development.       Etienne Gautheron, despite being born and raised in France, pursued various ventures and studies in entirely unrelated places such as the Netherlands and Korea. He now focuses on multiple businesses in France and Korea, extracting valuable information and selling it where it's needed. He collaborates with major domestic and international companies like Google, Netflix, Spotify, Yanolja, Musinsa, and Gentle Monster, providing them with necessary data for various cooperative projects. He mentioned, "At times, the cultural differences seemed hard to understand, and I was afraid. However, I've paid attention to the differences stemming from cultural diversity, and it's not intimidating anymore. It has even continued to be a part of what I do now."      In the Q&A session that followed, Etienne Gautheron advised to a student contemplating about their career path, "First and foremost, follow what you love as your goal," adding, "As you encounter smart people around the world, you'll discover what you want to do." Regarding advice on his primary field of marketing, he stressed the importance of “understanding customer needs and making proposals that spark interest rather than annoyance.” He emphasized, "Not hearing a clear rejection from a customer during a sales process can mean that the seller didn't put in enough effort."