LG Group replaced the CEOs of key affiliates, including LG Electronics and LG CHEM, while maintaining its policy of reducing vice chair positions and pushing a generational shift. At the same time, it carried out personnel moves that put weight on research and development talent, with an emphasis on artificial intelligence, bio, and cleantech as future growth engines.
LG Group on the 27th carried out its "2026 regular executive appointments" by affiliate. With LG CHEM Vice Chair Shin Hak-Cheol stepping down, the number of vice chairs at LG Group fell from two to one. Now the only vice chair remaining is Kwon Bong-seok, COO of LG Corp.
Since taking office in 2018, Chair Koo Kwang-mo has steadily reduced vice chair positions. There were six vice chairs in 2018, but with these appointments only one remains.
After LG Energy Solution Vice Chair Kwon Young-soo stepped down in 2023, LG Group maintained a two-vice-chair system with Kwon Bong-seok, LG Corp. COO and vice chair, and Shin Hak-Cheol, LG CHEM vice chair. In business circles, there had been speculation that LG Electronics CEO and President Cho Joo-wan and LG Display CEO and President Jeong Chul-dong could be promoted to vice chair, but President Cho Joo-wan stepped down, and President Jeong Chul-dong's position is unchanged.
An LG official said, "Chair Koo Kwang-mo also uses the title 'CEO' instead of 'chair,'" and added, "By appointing CEOs and presidents instead of people with the titles of chair and vice chair within the organization, the company pursued a generational shift while giving a youthful feel through the titles."
◇ LG Electronics and LG CHEM CEOs replaced with younger leaders
LG Group replaced the CEOs at three affiliates—LG Electronics, LG CHEM, and D&O—putting the spotlight on change and innovation by appointing leaders born in the late 1960s to the 1970s.
LG Electronics appointed HS Business Division head Lyu Jae-cheol as the new CEO (president), replacing President Cho Joo-wan, who served as CEO for the past four years. The new CEO Lyu is regarded as a figure who successfully led the home appliance business. An LG official said, "He joined the GoldStar home appliance research lab and rose to CEO as a technology leader," adding, "He will spread the global No. 1 DNA of the home appliance business across the company."
LG CHEM promoted Advanced Materials Business Division head (executive vice president) Kim Dong-chun to president and appointed him as LG CHEM CEO. Less than a year after being promoted to executive vice president in Jan., Kim will concurrently serve as head of the Advanced Materials Business Division.
CEO Kim Dong-chun joined LG CHEM in 1996 and has served as head of the semiconductor materials business, head of the electronic materials business unit, and head of the advanced materials business division. An LG official said, "He is a figure who will drive business restructuring and discover new growth engines."
For space-specialized service company D&O, the new CEO is Lee Jae-ung, head of the LG Electronics legal group (executive vice president). CEO Lee joined the LG Electronics legal team in 2007 and served as chief legal officer at major affiliates such as LG CHEM and LG Uplus. An LG official said, "He is the right person to stably run the organization based on experience at key affiliates."
With the appointment of three new CEOs, the average age of LG Group CEOs also came down. CEO Lyu Jae-cheol was born in 1967, and CEO Kim Dong-chun in 1968, both younger than their predecessors. CEO Lee Jae-ung was born in 1970, the same year as President Lee Sun-joo, appointed CEO of LG H&H in a one-point personnel move in Oct., and LG Innotek President Moon Hyuk-soo.
◇ Prioritizing AI, bio, and cleantech R&D talent to prepare for the future
LG Group also continued its personnel policy of actively placing research and development talent in AI, bio, and cleantech. According to LG Group, more than 25% of newly appointed executives over the past five years are research and development talent in AI, bio, and cleantech. This year as well, 21% of all promotions came from AI, bio, and cleantech.
As evidence, the youngest promotions this year to senior vice president, executive director, and managing director were all AI experts. Kim Tae-hoon, head of LG CNS's AI Cloud Business Division, promoted to executive vice president, was born in 1975; Lim Woo-hyung, co-head of the LG AI Research Institute, promoted to executive director, was born in 1978; and Cho Heon-hyeok, head of LG CNS's cloud data center business, promoted to managing director, was born in 1986.
Managing Director Cho Heon-hyeok is also the youngest executive promoted this year. An LG official said, "To respond to a management environment where competition in products and future technologies determines business performance, we put the emphasis on AI, bio, and cleantech talent."
LG Group also implemented a performance-based personnel policy that focuses on professional competency and future growth potential regardless of age or gender, selecting three managing directors born in the 1980s. In addition to Managing Director Cho Heon-hyeok, Kim Min-gyo (born in 1981), head of electronic materials marketing strategy at LG CHEM, and Park Jeong-cheol (born in 1980), head of compliance management at LG H&H, were promoted to managing director.