“Find an appropriate environment where you can fully exercise your talents” … Global CEO Talk from CEO Sang Yong Park 

Global CEO Talk hosted by Korea University Business School (Dean=Sang Yong Kim) was held at Room 303, Hyundai Motor Hall last April 21st. The lecture on the day was given by Yonwoo CEO Sang Yong Park. Yonwoo is a global cosmetic packaging company that developed the first cosmetic dispenser pump in Korea. Yonwoo has the highest occupation rate in the current Korean cosmetic container market. The lecture was on the theme of △Career introduction of CEO Park, △Introduction on Yonwoo and Kolmar Korea, △Korean beauty industry trend, △ Advice on leadership.  

To begin with, CEO Sang Yong Park majored in microbiology in Seoul National University and completed his Master’s and Ph. D in biology at the University of Pennsylvania. After finishing his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, he began his career at the global strategy consulting firm , Boston Consulting Group (BCG). He then went through significant experience as executive in companies such as Hanwha Life and Kolmar Korea Holdings and was appointed to the CEO of Yonwoo in 2022.  

CEO Park introduced Kolmar Korea, Yonwoo’s holding company. Currently, Kolmar Korea has achieved robust growth not only in cosmetics but also in the pharmaceutical and health-functional food sectors. He emphasized that Kolmar Korea’s competitiveness comes from its ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) system which has its own creative power. He also explained, “Kolmar Korea invests approximately 5% of its total revenue in research and development (R&D) business” and “through organic idea-sharing with its affiliates such as bio-health company HK Inno. N and cosmetics material research company Kolmar BNH, it has established a complete product development and production process.  

CEO Park also introduced the beauty trends and skincare trends in Korea. First, he presented the key terms of Korean beauty trends: △Green Pulse, △Fun Tech, and △ Self Romance.  Green pulse refers to the beauty industry trend that realizes sustainability. Fun Tech represents the trend of beauty products that provide consumers with a fun experience. Self Romance means the trend of consuming beauty products for one’s own satisfaction. He stated that “Sustainability is the most important factor in consumption for the recent MZ generation.”, and that “therefore, ESG is actively being implemented in the cosmetics packaging industry such as developing containers using recycled plastic materials.”. He then introduced the skincare market trends after the pandemic, explaining that ‘At home’ beauty products have become popular and demand for skin care products that allow skincare at home has increased significantly.  

Next, CEO Park presented key qualities that a good leader should possess such as △Listening, △Open attitude, and △HR management. He particularly emphasized the importance of communication skills, stating that “Above all, a leader should be a good listener,” and that “listening-based communication is a key skill that leads to good ideas and communities.” The session continued with a Q&A and career advice. CEO Park emphasized that “It is important to find an appropriate environment where you can fully exercise your talents when choosing a career in the future.”, and concluded the lecture. 

Meanwhile, the KUBS undergraduate course Global CEO Talk is conducted in a special lecture format where invited speakers give lectures every week. Any G-MBA or G-MIM student can attend the lecture after registering in advance. If you wish to attend the Global CEO Talk which takes place every Friday until June 23, please email to Global CEO Talk representative (slim.vbc@gmail.com) to register.