Goldman Sachs said on the 7th that it had released the list of "2025 managing director (Managing Director·MD) promotions." In the investment banking (IB) institutional sector, new MD Lee Gon-seok was selected; in the Korea institutional advisory institutional sector, new MD Heo Hong; and in the legal institutional sector, new MD Kim Su-young.
Goldman Sachs conducts promotions to the MD rank every two years, selecting global leaders who perform key roles in the organization based on expertise and leadership and who contribute to strengthening core businesses and developing members of the organization.
New IB institutional sector MD Lee Gon-seok joined the Goldman Sachs Seoul branch's Korea coverage group in 2015 and has built broad experience and expertise mainly in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and equity capital markets (ECM). From 2017 to 2019, Lee worked in the New York headquarters M&A group handling global transactions, then returned to Seoul and now covers a diverse client base including large corporations, private equity (PE), and Start - Up companies.
This year, Lee was credited with successfully leading GS Engineering and Construction's sale of GS Inima ($1.2 billion), achieving notable results in cross-border M&A. Lee also demonstrated expertise by executing major M&A deals such as MBK Partners' acquisition of GeoYoung and Hahn & Company's sale of SK Ecoprome. In the capital markets institutional sector, Lee showed strong execution by participating in major transactions including the initial public offerings (IPO) of LG Energy Solution and K Car, and LG CHEM's exchangeable bond issuance.
Before joining Goldman Sachs, Lee worked as an equity research analyst at a global investment bank, covering various industries including autos, retail·consumer goods, and internet·telecom. Lee earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Sogang University (2008) and an MBA (2015) from Columbia University in the United States.
New Korea institutional advisory institutional sector MD Heo Hong plans to further strengthen the asset management business for domestic institutional investors. In Aug., Heo was appointed co-head of the Korea institutional advisory institutional sector. The Korea institutional advisory institutional sector advises domestic institutional investors so they can effectively use Goldman Sachs' global platform, providing deep market insights and tailored multi-investment solutions spanning traditional assets and alternative assets.
Heo has demonstrated outstanding capabilities by handling strategic asset allocation and advice on traditional and alternative investments for domestic institutional investors in the Goldman Sachs securities institutional sector FICC (fixed income, currency and commodities) business. Heo joined Goldman Sachs in 2015 and studied humanities at Seoul National University. Heo also completed military service with the Republic of Korea Navy Special Warfare Flotilla (UDT/SEAL) counterterrorism unit.
New legal institutional sector MD Kim Su-young is a Veteran attorney who joined Goldman Sachs in 2010 and has worked for more than 15 years. Kim works closely with co-Korea heads Choi Jae-jun and Ahn Jae-hun and plays a key role in expanding Goldman Sachs' domestic business. Before Goldman Sachs, Kim built broad experience at Kim & Chang, the New York office of the internationally renowned law firm Clifford Chance, and the global consulting firm McKinsey & Company.
Kim graduated from Seoul National University (1997), earned a master's in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School (1999), and then received a Juris Doctor (JD) from Stanford Law School (2004).
Since the appointment of IB head Ahn Jae-hun in Jul. last year, Goldman Sachs has continued to close trillion-won transactions in the domestic M&A financial advisory market. This year, in Air Liquide's acquisition of DIG Airgas (4.6 trillion won), it advised the seller, Macquarie Asset Management, and in DB Insurance's acquisition of the U.S. specialty insurer Fortegra Group (2.3107 trillion won), it supported the buyer. In addition, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) state-owned energy corporations TAQA's acquisition of GS Inima (1.677 trillion won), it advised the seller, GS Engineering and Construction.
In 2023, Yoon Yun-gu, who oversaw the securities business and headed FICC (fixed income, currency and commodities), was promoted to MD.
Since the 1970s, Goldman Sachs has provided investment banking services and various financial solutions to corporations and institutions in the Korean market. After establishing the Seoul representative office in 1992, it was upgraded to a full-service branch in 1998, strengthening its foothold. Since then, it has invested more than $4.7 billion in the Korean market, and about 100 employees currently work at the Seoul branch.