Hana Financial taps CEO candidates

Hana Life Insurance CEO Lee Seung-lyul, 59, was named the final candidate to be considered as the new head of Hana Bank, in Hana Financial Group’s latest leadership reshuffle, which took place earlier than usual.

Hana Financial Group said Wednesday it completed CEO nominations for its affiliates Hana Bank, Hana Securities and Hana Card through a recommendation committee meeting held the day before.

It was the first CEO reshuffle to be made after the group's chairman Ham Young-joo took the helm in March.

The group's CEO nominations are usually made in January and February, but this year the decisions were made early. The incumbent CEOs’ term will end in March as slated.

Lee is a graduate of Seoul National University. He started his banking career when joining the now-defunct Korea Exchange Bank, which merged under Hana Bank. If Lee takes the position, he will be the first CEO of Hana Bank with a Foreign Exchange Bank background since the merger in 2015.

"Lee will head the bank based on strategic leadership and risk management skills in rough times for the finance industry,” the committee said. “Lee is a respected figure who can lead the firm with charisma, based on principles.”

The incumbent Hana Bank chief Park Sung-ho's post will likely be decided within the Hana Financial Group this month.

Kang Sung-muk, Hana Alternative Investment Asset Management CEO, has been confirmed as the candidate for the new Hana Securities CEO.

"Kang has the experience to expand the performance of Hana Securities to retail and wealth management, which currently leans toward investment banking,” the committee said.

The committee recommended Hana Bank Vice President Lee Ho-sung, 58, as the candidate for Hana Card CEO.

Lee, who went to a commercial high school in Daegu, has years of experience in sales under his belt.

“Lee possesses expertise in sales and has built up networks in and out of the group,” the committee said. “Lee is qualified to pave the way for Hana Card to become a major company in non-banking areas.”

The candidates will have to receive final confirmation from each affiliate, board and shareholders meeting.