Chaebol scions climb toward top management

Grandsons and great grandsons of chaebol founders are awaiting promotion in upcoming regular management reshuffles.

GS Group chairman Huh Chang-soo’s only son Yoon-hong, general manager at GS Engineering and Construction, is set to be promoted to executive-level Wednesday, company officials said Tuesday.

Thirty-two-year-old Huh Yoon-hong joined GS Caltex in 2002 and moved to GS E&C three years later. He currently heads the company’s financial affairs team and will do the same job after promotion, according to the builder. He moved up the corporate ladder in 2007, 2009 and last year. 

Hankook Tire on Tuesday promoted chairman Cho Yang-rae’s second son and President Lee Myung-bak’s son-in-law Hyun-bum from executive vice president to president.

Cho Hyun-bum entered Hankook Tire in 1998 and has led the company’s management planning division since 2006.

“Cho has commanded the company’s global growth, successfully leading the entire process from planning to groundbreaking of the new factory in Indonesia,” the tire maker said in a press release.

“He steered the company through stabilization of its management system, adoption of an innovative corporate culture and social contribution activities.”

Hanwha Group chairman Kim Seung-youn’s eldest son Kim Dong-gwan, now deputy general manager at Hanwha, is also widely expected to be promoted next year.

The junior Kim, who holds a controlling stake in Hanwha S&C, has accompanied his father on overseas trips starting with the Davos Forum in January last year.

As director of Hanwha SolarOne, Kim has been leading a solar energy development project as one of the conglomerate’s new growth engines.

In Hanjin Group’s regular management shakeup scheduled for late this month, all eyes are on whether chairman Cho Yang-ho’s three children will be promoted.

Heather Cho, in charge of Korean Air’s in-flight meal and hotel businesses, and her brother Walter, heading the airline’s management strategy division, are likely to climb up a step from senior vice president to executive vice president.

Both became senior vice president two years ago, and have been playing increasingly important roles within the conglomerate.

The chairman’s youngest Emily Cho, vice president of Korean Air’s integrated communications office, could also be promoted as the advertising campaigns she led helped enhance corporate image, according to company officials.

It remains to be seen whether Hyosung Group chairman Cho Suk-rae will decide to move up his three sons ― president Hyun-joon, vice president Hyun-moon and Hyun-sang who were simultaneously promoted in January 2007 ― in the regular shakeup slated for early next year.

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)