POSCO Group Announces Regular Executive Personnel Changes

Focus on Reallocation and Innovation of Human Resources within the Group

Strengthening Business Capabilities in New Growth Areas, Continuous Recruitment of External Talented Professionals

POSCO Group announced its executive regular personnel appointments for 2024 on the 20th.

This personnel reshuffle focused on reallocating human resources within the group appropriately and promoting innovation in line with the mid- to long-term growth strategies of the group's seven core businesses.

New POSCO Holdings Future Technology Research Institute Director Kim Ji-yong [Photo provided by Gwangyang Steelworks]

Kim Ji-yong, Director (Vice President) of POSCO Holdings Future Technology Research Institute, who leads POSCO Group's R&D strategy and technology development as a representative company of eco-friendly future materials, was promoted to President.

President Kim Ji-yong has served as Head of POSCO Safety and Environment Headquarters, Manager of Gwangyang Steelworks, Head of Overseas Corporation (Indonesia), Head of New Materials Business Division, and Head of Automotive Steel Export Division. Currently, as the group CTO, he oversees core technology R&D in secondary battery materials, AI, and hydrogen sectors, playing a pivotal role in discovering future growth businesses for the group.

POSCO appointed steel experts to strengthen the phased transition to a carbon-neutral production system and enhance Green Steel solutions.

Lee Baek-hee, Manager of Pohang Steelworks, and Lee Jin-soo, Manager of Gwangyang Steelworks, were appointed as Head of Safety and Environment Headquarters and Head of Production Technology Headquarters, respectively. The new Manager of Pohang Steelworks is Cheon Si-yeol, Deputy Manager in charge of Process Quality at Pohang Steelworks, and the new Manager of Gwangyang Steelworks is Lee Dong-ryeol, President of POSCO M-TECH, who was promoted and transferred.

Newly Appointed Lee Dong-ryeol, Head of POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks Photo by Gwangyang Steelworks

New Pohang Steelworks Manager Cheon Si-yeol has held positions such as Head of Production Technology Strategy Office, Head of Plating Department, and Head of Cold Rolling Department. New Gwangyang Steelworks Manager Lee Dong-ryeol has served as Deputy Manager in charge of Blooming at Gwangyang Steelworks, Head of Steelmaking Department, and Head of Steelmaking Department at PT.KRAKATAU POSCO (Indonesia).

Kim Ki-soo, Head of Process Research Institute, has been appointed as Director of the Technology Research Institute.

Additionally, the HyREX Promotion Task Force, which was responsible for hydrogen reduction steelmaking within the Technology Research Institute, has been elevated to a regular promotion team. Baek Jin-chan, Head of Blooming Technology Group, was appointed as the team leader, enabling top experts in the steel sector to execute the '2050 Carbon Neutral Strategy.'

In the secondary battery materials sector, a key growth business of the group, business-oriented talents with expertise and technical skills were advanced. Um Ki-chun, Head of POSCO Marketing Strategy Office, was promoted to Vice President and moved to the position of Head of Energy Materials Business Division at POSCO Future M.

Um Ki-chun, Head of Energy Materials Business Division, has diverse experience including Head of Steel Planning Office, Head of Overseas Corporations (Vietnam/China), and Head of New Materials Business Division, making him the ideal person to lead the secondary battery materials business.

Furthermore, POSCO Group is expanding the recruitment of external key talents to strengthen business capabilities in new growth sectors such as secondary battery materials, hydrogen, and AI.

In the secondary battery materials business, Yoon Tae-il, Executive Director in charge of Technology Strategy at Samsung SDI, was urgently recruited as Head of Technology Quality Strategy Office at POSCO Future M. Also, Hong Young-jun, Head of Secondary Battery Materials Research Institute at POSCO Holdings Future Technology Research Institute, who was recruited from LG Chem, was promoted to Vice President.

In the hydrogen and low-carbon sectors, Kim Yong-heon, Head of Technology Strategy Team at Korea National Oil Corporation and an expert in hydrogen and CCS (Carbon Capture Storage), was newly hired as an executive-level research fellow at the Hydrogen Low-Carbon Energy Research Institute of POSCO Holdings Future Technology Research Institute.

In addition, in August, Dr. Lim Woo-sang, formerly of Apple, Microsoft, and Google in the U.S., was recruited as a research fellow at the AI Research Institute, actively bringing in external experts to discover future growth engines for the group.

Under the principle of meritocracy, POSCO Group executed a generational change through numerous appointments of presidents at group companies including POSCO Flow, POSCO Steelion, POSCO Management Research Institute, POSCO Mobility Solutions, POSCO M-TECH, POSCO MC Materials, POSCO A&C, and POSCO HY Clean Metal.

Lee Young-geol, Head of Equipment Technology Department at Pohang Steelworks, and Seo Gwang-il, POSCO Master, who greatly contributed to the recovery from flooding damage at Pohang Steelworks caused by Typhoon Hin Nam No last year, were promoted to executive and senior managing director, respectively.

Meanwhile, considering that the process of appointing the POSCO Group Chairman is currently underway, major group company president appointments and POSCO Holdings executive appointments will be implemented later.

Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik hss79@asiae.co.kr

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