Yoon Byung-woon, CEO of NH Investment & Securities, stressed that this year the firm must responsibly complete the acquisition of approval for and successful launch of the integrated investment account (IMA), and at the same time, rather than resting on past achievements, it needs a humble attitude that strengthens fundamentals.
In a New Year's address on the 2nd, Yoon said, "The foundation of the financial industry is at a critical inflection point, shifting from 'banking' to the 'capital market,'" adding, "What is needed in this time of change is to revisit the basics and shore up our fundamentals."
This year, Yoon laid out three management priorities for employees of NH Investment & Securities to focus on: ▲ obtaining IMA approval ▲ maximizing core business competitiveness in key business lines ▲ internalizing artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
NH Investment & Securities has applied for IMA business approval, and the result is likely to come in the first half of next year.
Yoon said, "The IMA goes beyond a simple business expansion; it is core infrastructure that links capital market funds to creative investments, boosting the dynamism of our economy," adding, "We must prepare thoroughly with humility until approval is finalized, and thereafter, at the companywide level, we should stand at the 'vanguard of venture capital investment' by discovering and supporting promising companies."
He reiterated, "The IMA is a powerful weapon and core infrastructure that will cement our market position as a top-tier comprehensive investment bank (securities firm). Let's all unite and do our utmost with a profound sense of responsibility to achieve approval."
He also pointed out that all members must work together so that the product sales process, as well as operations and the risk management framework, can function flawlessly. Yoon said he would closely oversee and support the entire process until the system takes root as core infrastructure at NH Investment & Securities.
Yoon said that, to complete a sustainable revenue structure, "The retail institutional sector should overwhelmingly expand its customer and asset base (AUM) to reinforce a stable revenue structure built on customer trust, and the investment banking (IB) institutional sector should expand its network with book-based solutions to build a solid revenue pipeline."
He said the asset management division needs to strategically integrate issuance-based notes and retirement pension management functions to maximize capital efficiency. Yoon said, "While broadening the investment spectrum to alternative assets and overseas private lending to complete structural profitability, the wholesale (WS) division should also continue to diversify new institutional client solutions and further solidify a stable revenue base."
He also mentioned the importance of AI. Yoon emphasized that AI is an engine that innovates the entire business model, from the way work is done to decision-making processes. He said, "This year we aim to go beyond the simple adoption of AI and focus on bold execution to redesign all processes from an AI perspective. However, we must not forget that security and customer protection—the essence of a financial company—must be the unwavering premise of all such innovation."
He added, "I hope we build a warm NH Investment & Securities that respects one another and grows together with customers," and "I, too, will devote my utmost to laying the groundwork for the company's sustainable growth without losing our original intent."