KB Financial Group said on the 3rd that its Chairman Candidate Recommendation Committee held a meeting and finalized a shortlist of six candidates for the next chairman, including Yang Jong-hee and Lee Hwan-ju.
The shortlist includes four internal candidates and two external candidates. The internal candidates are current chairman Yang Jong-hee; Lee Jae-geun, KB Financial Group institutional sector head; Lee Chang-gwon, KB Financial Group institutional sector head; and Lee Hwan-ju, KB Kookmin Bank president, for a total of four. The external candidates are former Woori Bank president Kwon Kwang-seok and one person who requested anonymity.
Earlier, the committee established detailed criteria for chairman qualifications in April and narrowed a long list of 20 candidates (10 internal and 10 external) down to 12. After about two months of preparation, the committee plans to conduct first-round interviews with six candidates on Aug. 27 and then narrow the pool to three.
On Sept. 11, the committee will conduct in-depth evaluations through second-round interviews with the three candidates and confirm one final nominee by vote. If the final nominee passes the qualifications required by relevant laws, the nominee will go through recommendation procedures by the committee and the board on Oct. 2 and be appointed chairman at an extraordinary shareholders meeting in November.
Committee Chair Cho Hwa-jun emphasized, "We will continue working to ensure that the best chief executive officer (CEO) who meets shareholders' and customers' trust is appointed through a transparent and objective process of candidate verification and evaluation."