Kakao Appoints Jeong Sin-ah, CEO of Kakao Ventures, as New Sole CEO (Update)

Jungsin appointed as the new sole CEO of Kakao

Kakao, facing the greatest crisis since its founding, has unveiled a plan to replace its CEO as part of a renewal strategy.

On the morning of the 13th, Kakao held a nomination committee meeting and reported that Jeong Sin-ah, CEO of Kakao Ventures who oversees overall business operations, has been nominated as the sole candidate for CEO. Jeong is set to be officially appointed as CEO following the board meeting and shareholders' meeting scheduled for March.

A Kakao representative explained, "We concluded that leadership suitable for driving new changes is necessary," adding, "Jeong Sin-ah, who possesses professional knowledge and experience in the IT field and has a high understanding of conflicts and difficulties at various stages of corporate growth, was judged to be the right person for the role."

Jeong Sin-ah joined Kakao Ventures in 2014 after working at Boston Consulting Group, eBay Asia-Pacific Headquarters (eBay APAC HQ), and Naver. Since 2018, as CEO of Kakao Ventures, she has contributed to fostering the IT ecosystem by discovering and investing in IT startups across various fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, mobile platforms, gaming, and digital healthcare. She has also built successful experience in the venture capital (VC) sector for over a decade, developing analytical and problem-solving skills for each growth stage from startup founding to growth and unicorn status. She is recognized for her deep insights into Kakao’s diverse businesses and services, including commerce and advertising.

Jeong joined Kakao as a non-executive director in March this year to deepen her understanding of Kakao’s business. Currently, she is participating in discussions on the direction of renewal as a standing member of the Management Innovation Committee. Going forward, she will lead the renewal task force, setting the direction for Kakao’s practical renewal and overseeing detailed tasks.

Jeong stated, “I feel an immense sense of responsibility and mission in taking over new leadership at this critical time,” adding, “To meet society’s expectations and standards, I will implement proactive responsible management rather than autonomous management solely focused on growth, and concentrate more on future core business areas. Since the time given to Kakao is limited, I will not miss the timing for change.”

Meanwhile, Kim Beom-su, Kakao’s founder and chairman of the Management Innovation Committee, said at an event for employees on the 11th, “Kakao has reached a time when fundamental change must be attempted,” and added, “We will establish leadership to lead a new ship, a new Kakao.”

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