Major Conglomerate Heads and Executives to Battle for Future Growth at CES Next Month

CES 2023 from 5th to 8th next month, followed by Davos Forum from 16th to 20th

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Sun-mi] The heads and executives of major domestic conglomerates are set to make a large-scale appearance at 'CES2023,' the world's largest consumer electronics and information technology (IT) exhibition, held next month in Las Vegas, USA.

Unlike CES2022, which was scaled down due to the spread of the Omicron variant, CES2023 will host over 2,800 companies from more than 170 countries worldwide, making it the largest event since 2020. The exhibition, held from the 5th to the 8th, will be an opportunity for major Korean groups such as Samsung, LG, and SK to showcase not only new technologies and products but also future growth engines driven by new business ventures. In addition to key affiliate executives, group chairpersons are also expected to attend, adding significance to the event.

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong is anticipated to attend CES during a break in the trials related to the unfair merger of Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries and accounting fraud allegations involving Samsung Biologics, which are held every Thursday and will not take place in early next month. Chairman Lee has shown a special interest in CES, having attended the event for seven consecutive years since 2007 when he was a Samsung Electronics executive director. As this will be his first CES since his promotion to chairman, there is a possibility he will tour the venue to grasp the latest trends in consumer electronics and advanced IT products and technologies, and meet global leaders to discuss future growth opportunities. Samsung Electronics plans to focus on promoting the 'Era of Hyperconnectivity through Personalized Experiences,' with Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee, head of the Device eXperience (DX) division, as the keynote speaker, highlighting Samsung’s unique Calm Technology philosophy embodied in the SmartThings experience.

LG will send top executives from its home appliance affiliates, including LG Electronics, LG Innotek, and LG Display. LG Electronics President Cho Joo-wan is expected to introduce innovations that provide better lives for customers, bold challenges to expand customer experiences, and commitments to creating a better future for people and the planet. SK Group will showcase a comprehensive range of affiliate products and technologies that can make tangible contributions to carbon reduction through a group-level joint exhibition pavilion, similar to last year’s CES.

Chairman Chey Tae-won, who was unable to attend CES last year due to Omicron, will visit the integrated booth in person this time, marking his first CES appearance since assuming the chairmanship. From the Hyundai family, Hyundai Heavy Industries Group President Chung Ki-sun will make his CES debut. Under the theme of Ocean Transformation, he will introduce remotely controlled unmanned vessels, low-carbon fuel propulsion, and AI-based optimal navigation route calculation solutions.

Among the four major group chairpersons, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun is the only one participating in CES, expressing ambitions to realize ultimate freedom of movement through metamorobility, which combines robotics and the metaverse (3D virtual space). Although Hyundai Motor and Kia will not have separate exhibition booths this year, Chairman Chung is likely to visit the CES venue personally to monitor trends. Among affiliates, Hyundai Mobis will unveil its purpose-built vehicle (PBV) concept models 'M.Vision TO' and 'M.Vision HI' for the first time at CES. Meanwhile, business leaders are expected to gather at the Davos Forum, held from the 16th to the 20th of next month, following CES, to exchange views on global inflation, supply chain crises, and other complex global challenges.

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