SK Group has carried out its 2027 executive appointments, retaining the majority of chief executive officers (CEOs) at its major affiliates while replacing the head of SK Innovation. Amid growing management uncertainty, the group placed emphasis on organizational stability while deploying practical, hands-on executives to its energy and chemical businesses as well as the group's central control tower.
SK Group announced that it held an extraordinary meeting of the S-Peace Council on the morning of the 30th to share the executive appointments decided by the boards of directors of each affiliate. The company outlined a plan to enhance the profitability of its existing core businesses while accelerating portfolio restructuring and the exploration of future business opportunities.
Holding company SK Inc. retained CEO Jang Yong-ho. Kim Sun-hyuk, head of the Strategy Division at SKC, a portfolio management expert, was promoted to executive vice president. He will be responsible for completing the 'portfolio rebalancing' initiative that SK Inc. has been pursuing in an early stage and accelerating improvements in business structure.
The scope of change was expanded within the energy and chemical affiliates. Jung Seung-il, a power and energy expert, was nominated as the new CEO of SK Innovation. He has been tasked with responding to global economic slowdown and volatility in the energy market while enhancing the competitiveness of existing businesses and actively developing new power-related ventures.
Kang Dong-soo, who had overseen overall operations at SK Inc., will move to positions as co-CEO of SK Innovation and CEO of SK Energy. He will be responsible for increasing cash-generating capacity from existing businesses and channeling it into investments in future new ventures.
Kim Won-gi, who has led SK Enmou CIC, will concurrently serve as CEO of SK Geo Centric. He is expected to focus on boosting the profitability of high-value-added chemical businesses based on experience accumulated in the base oil and lubricant sectors.
SK Discovery nominated Yoon Byung-seok, president of SK Gas, as its CEO. President Yoon will lead efforts to concretize mid- to long-term growth strategies. Song Kyung-yeol, head of the Strategy Headquarters, was promoted and nominated as CEO of SK Gas. Key tasks include elevating the business value chain and improving financial structure.
Changes were also made to the S-Peace Council, the group's highest deliberative body. Kwon Young-soo, head of the Strategy Headquarters at SK Innovation, was promoted to executive vice president, taking charge of synergies among affiliates and future growth challenges.
The overseas business organization will also be expanded. In addition to its existing North America, China, and Japan divisions, SK Group established a new Southeast Asia regional headquarters and appointed President Choo Hyeong-wook to lead it. This move lays the groundwork for expanding research and development (R&D) and commercialization of key businesses such as artificial intelligence (AI), eco-friendly technologies, and advanced materials in Southeast Asia, a region with significant growth potential.
A notable feature of this round of appointments is that while retaining major CEOs to maintain management stability, changes were centered on energy and chemicals as well as future business areas. SK Group plans to focus on completing portfolio rebalancing early and securing new growth drivers centered on AI and advanced technologies.
An official from SK Group stated, "This appointment round aims to strengthen fundamental competitiveness amid an uncertain management environment and create a turning point for a new leap through proactive business restructuring and technological innovation," adding, "We will accelerate the group's qualitative growth and improvement in corporate valuation."
in INDUSTRY
