[New Year's Message] Jung Il-moon, President of KTB Securities, "Risk Management and Digital Innovation Must Become Routine"

[Asia Economy Reporter Koh Hyung-kwang] Jeong Il-moon, CEO of Korea Investment & Securities, emphasized on the 4th, "We must achieve digital innovation at the company-wide level to meet the challenge of big tech companies rushing into the financial market."

In his New Year's address that day, CEO Jeong stated, "The key topic in the financial market is shifting from 'Fintech' to 'Techfin,' and small and medium tech companies are also growing rapidly," adding, "Competition in the financial market is intensifying, and if we do not respond, we will inevitably be left behind."

He also stressed the practice of 'making digital innovation a daily routine,' saying, "There is a path to digital innovation in our daily lives, and anyone should not hesitate to propose ideas for digital innovation anytime, anywhere, and realize them. This is not limited to the IT·DT Headquarters or the newly established Digital Platform Headquarters, but the entire company, including IB·PF, asset management, and headquarters administration, must respond and lead the way."

Furthermore, CEO Jeong requested the practice of 'making risk management a daily routine' to prepare for upcoming crises and 'making openness a daily routine for a fair culture' to root a fair organizational culture.

Below is the full text of CEO Jeong’s New Year's address.

Dear employees of Korea Investment & Securities, Happy New Year. I hope this year will be a year in which all of our Korea Investment & Securities family achieve what they desire, and become happier and healthier.

Last year, we experienced an unexpected crisis due to COVID-19. March of last year will probably be an unforgettable time in my career. However, we overcame this upheaval firmly. It is the result of everyone doing their best in their respective positions. Therefore, I am very proud of you all.

On the other hand, I cannot erase two questions from my mind: Are we sufficiently prepared for the future ahead? Have we laid a solid foundation and groundwork for the new decade we planned last year?

While I am deeply grateful for your hard work last year, we have a destiny to move forward regardless of any environment, so I cannot shake off concerns about the future. Therefore, this year, we must put into practice the lessons learned from the crisis, lead the response to future changes, and establish a rational organizational culture.

First, please put into practice the lessons learned from the crisis. The financial market coexists with 'greed and fear.' However, sometimes we become obsessed with immediate greed and forget fear. If a crisis comes at that time, it becomes a disaster. Conversely, we must also be cautious not to excessively restrain greed out of fear, as we might lose opportunities. Therefore, 'greed and fear' must coexist. Last year, we were able to realize this fact.

But realization alone is not enough. We must check all possible scenarios based on fear, prepare thoroughly, and put them into practice. With thorough preparation, opportunities to pursue greed will become clearer. This is not limited to some headquarters or departments. All organizations company-wide must practice this.

In other words, I ask you to practice 'making risk management a daily routine.' Through this, I am confident we can take a step forward.

Next, we must lead the response to future changes. The key topic in the financial market is shifting from 'Fintech' to 'Techfin.' Large tech companies are entering the financial market one after another, and small and medium tech companies are also growing rapidly. Competition in the financial market is intensifying, and if we do not respond, we will inevitably be left behind.

This is not limited to the IT/DT Headquarters or the newly established Digital Platform Headquarters. The entire company, including retail, wholesale, IB/PF, asset management, and headquarters administration, must respond and lead the way.

The procedures of the work I do, the customers I meet, the materials I create ? there is a path to digital innovation in our daily lives. Anyone should not hesitate to propose ideas for digital innovation anytime, anywhere, and realize them. In other words, please practice 'making digital innovation a daily routine.'

Finally, we must establish a rational organizational culture. Last year, for the first time, personnel evaluation results were disclosed. How was it? Since it was the first time, there might have been trial and error or dissatisfaction. However, since evaluators conduct evaluations on the premise of openness (公開), they become more cautious, and evaluated employees have the opportunity to raise objections by knowing the results, which is fairness (公正).

A transparent decision-making process based on openness is essential for a fair organizational culture to take root. Therefore, please practice 'making openness a daily routine for a fair culture.' I ask everyone involved in decision-making to make fair decisions so that anyone can disclose the results. The greatest asset of a financial company is its people. If a fair corporate culture is established through transparent decision-making, talented people will naturally gather.

It is simple, but it will be the greatest innovation we have achieved.

Dear Korea Investment & Securities family!

I believe one of my most important duties is to pass on a better company to the juniors. Therefore, I have one more request.

Please become colleagues who convey 'warm words with sincerity.'

Our difficulty lies in doing our best today while preparing for an uncertain tomorrow. Therefore, it can never be done alone but must be done together. That is why colleagues around us are important. What kind of colleague are you?

Be a leader who works together to achieve results rather than forcing performance, a senior who helps juniors do well rather than criticizing them for poor performance, a colleague who advises rather than points out faults, and a junior who speaks frankly rather than gossiping behind backs. If we become an organization that respects people as mentioned above along with the three daily routines I urged earlier, we will achieve sustainable growth that no one can surpass.

For this, I will also be with you anytime, anywhere, and put it into practice.

Once again, Happy New Year, and I wish you a healthy and happy year.

January 4, 2021

CEO of Korea Investment & Securities Jeong Il-moon

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.