SK Innovation announced on the 4th that it carried out its 2026 executive appointments and organizational reshuffle. Chief Executive Officer Kim Jong-hwa of SK Energy will also serve as CEO of SK Geocentric, a chemical subsidiary of SK Innovation, to maximize synergies between the refining and chemical businesses. It also set up a new organization for an artificial intelligence (AI) transition. In addition, SK Innovation consolidated overlapping functions within the group's management (Staff) organizations to strengthen and streamline operations.
SK Innovation on the day announced its 2026 plan focused on strengthening fundamental business competitiveness and securing future growth engines centered on electrification, based on "new operation improvement (NEW O/I)." It made the announcement.
As a follow-up to the CEO appointments on Oct., SK Innovation appointed CEOs of its subsidiaries. First, CEO Kim Jong-hwa of SK Energy will also serve as CEO of SK Geocentric. SK Innovation said, "Based on Kim's experience and capabilities in refining and chemicals, including engineering, production, SHE (safety, health, environment), and overall management of Ulsan CLX, we expect to maximize business synergies between the two companies." Kim said, "To overcome the major headwinds of a sluggish petrochemical market and structural changes, we will enhance execution through the New O/I initiative and focus on strengthening the competitiveness of the refining and chemical businesses."
Within the O/I task force, SK Innovation will strengthen the value chain optimization function across SKI affiliates to pursue maximized synergies between the refining and chemical businesses on an integrated operations basis. SK Innovation also set up an AX-dedicated unit reporting directly to the chief executive officer at SK Innovation and all subsidiaries to accelerate AI transformation.
With this organizational reshuffle, SK Innovation plans to further accelerate the expansion of its future growth base. First, it will enhance synergies among electrification-centered businesses. To that end, it placed the Energy Solution business unit and the Vietnam and Americas business development organizations under the direct control of CEO Choo Hyeong-wook of SK Innovation.
SK Innovation's Environmental Science and Technology Institute will establish an ES (Energy Solution) research and development (R&D) lab to strengthen R&D capabilities in the electrification business field. SK On will expand its energy storage system (ESS) business and development functions, which have high global growth potential along with electric-vehicle batteries. It will also strengthen organizations for responding to global markets and customers, including the Americas and Europe, to build a foundation for global business expansion.
SK Innovation selected executives mainly from younger talent to cultivate on-site leaders and next-generation management.
An SK Innovation official said, "Although the overall number of executives has been reduced, the average age of new executives fell by 1.5 years to 46.7," adding, "Through leadership changes, SK Innovation has secured execution capabilities to address the tasks at hand."
the following is the list of SK Innovation executive promotions
◇ president
▲SK Geocentric Kim Jong-hwa
◇ SK Innovation affiliates (11 people)
▲Kang Tae-uk, head of DT Infra, SK Innovation ▲Kim Jong-ha, head of Talent AX, SK Innovation ▲Lee Gyu-hyeok, head of SHE, SK Innovation ▲Lee Sang-hoon, head of Power PJT Promotion, SK Innovation ▲Ji Mi-yeon, head of HR, SK Innovation ▲Kim Young-su, head of Instrument and Electricity, SK Energy ▲Lee Jae-yeol, head of CLX Culture Innovation, SK Energy ▲Han Sung-jin, head of Polymer Plant, SK Geocentric ▲Lee Deok-hwan, head of O/I Innovation Promotion, SK Incheon Petrochem ▲Lee Ju-hwan, head of Facilities, SK Incheon Petrochem ▲Lim Geun-seong, head of Quality Management, SK IE Technology
◇ SK Innovation E&S (3 people)
▲Kim Do-sik, head of O/I Promotion, SK Innovation E&S ▲Park Young-uk, head of Renewable E Business Planning, SK Innovation E&S
▲Woo Byung-hoon, head of PRISM Energy Int'l, SK Innovation E&S
◇ SK On (1 person)
▲Jang Cheol-young, head of Global Sales, SK On