BC Card names new chief executive

Credit card issuer BC Card said Friday that it has named Choi Won-seok, a former head of local financial firm FnPricing, as its new chief executive.

The CEO hiring process will be complete after a shareholders meeting and board meeting slated for next month.

Choi is an expert in the financial and IT segments, having developed systems that evaluate financial products at FnPricing. He has served as an outside board director for the card company for the past six years.

The CEO appointee has spearheaded the trend toward merging finance with IT for years, and that experience will help accelerate BC Card’s transition into a digital data company, the card firm said.

“By combining the card company’s infrastructure for payment, commerce, and finance and telecom giant KT’s artificial intelligence and big data capabilities, I would try to roll out customized financial services and beef up BC Card’s competitiveness down the road,” Choi said in a press release.

KT is the largest shareholder of BC Card, owning a 69.54 percent stake. Among its other shareholders are banks and card companies, including Woori Bank, NH Nonghyup Bank and KB Kookmin Card.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)