A Good Leader is a Self-aware Global Leader - Global CEO Talk by Ghislain BRUN

The Global CEO Talk, hosted by KUBS (Dean=Sang Yong Kim), was held in room 303 of Hyundai Motor Business Hall on March 17. Gishulain Brun, Associate Partner of DHR International, was invited to speak at the special lecture. DHR International is an international headhunter corporation; the term headhunter refers to a person who introduces high-quality and professional personnel, such as a CEO, executives, and engineers, to corporations in need. Gishlain Brun is also an alumnus of Korea University, having a master's degree in Business Administration from Korea University.

Brun first established his connection with Korea as the French Chamber of Commerce's resident director and went on to pursue a career in HR, specializing in M&A, global talent management, and leadership recruitment as a global HR manager at SK Telecom. Brun also joined Greenpeace International as the HR director and currently occupies the same position at DHR International.

Brun continued the lecture by engaging in open communication with students, asking them about their desired jobs and fields. He advised the students that choosing a particular job or a field can be difficult, however, one must choose carefully because each field has different cultures and work requirements and it is significantly difficult to change careers later on. Brun also accompanied students in discussing what makes a good leader. He went around the room to question individual students, who mentioned traits such as “vision,” “charisma,” “team promotion,” and “emotional intelligence.”

Brun introduced ‘agility’ and ‘self-awareness’ as the qualities of a good leader. He explained that agility is important because good leaders must be able to change quickly, and self-awareness is important because one must be able to first be aware of oneself in order to describe oneself to others. Brun emphasized that self-awareness is a critical skill, and without it, describing oneself to others can be difficult.

Finally, Brun emphasized the importance of ‘reading’ and ‘being global’. Sharing his own PPT slides, he first explained recommended books along with the McKinsey Newsletter. He strongly advised students to subscribe to the McKinsey Newsletter because it provides information on how new industries like metaverse are being used in the field. Second, Brun discussed the importance of gaining global exposure. He encouraged students to take the chance of the student exchange program, for it is the best opportunity to experience different cultures, workplaces, and to gain exposure to the global environment. He stated that it is very important and crucial to earn a global experience.

The Global CEO Talk by Gislain Brun, who first established his connection with Korea as the resident director of the French Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the qualities of a good leader, essential virtues, and the importance of reading. The lecture concluded by reminding the importance of ‘a global experience.’

Meanwhile, the Global CEO Talk is a lecture series for undergraduate students of KUBS, conducted in a special lecture format where invited speakers give lectures every week. However, any G-MBA or G-MIM student can audit after pre-registration. Those who wish to audit the Global CEO Talk, which takes place every Friday until June 23, please apply by email to the Global CEO Talk administrator (slim.vbc@gmail.com).