The chicken franchise brand BBQ's operator Genesis BBQ Group announced on the 14th that it has appointed Kim Ji-hoon, a former executive at CJ CheilJedang, as the new CEO. He is succeeding Shim Kwan-seop, who was appointed in July of last year and has now left.
According to Genesis BBQ Group, CEO Kim is a global marketing expert from CJ CheilJedang, which is considered the largest food company in Korea, and he graduated from Indiana University in the United States.
Born in 1972, he graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in aesthetics in 1996 and earned a master's degree in marketing from Indiana University in 2005. He served as a management leader responsible for food exports at CJ CheilJedang from October 2022 to 2023.
In particular, it is reported that Chairman Yoon Hong-geun of Genesis BBQ Group has decisively selected a global expert as he has emphasized overseas business. Last month, at a press conference to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the company's founding, Chairman Yoon stated, "We will become the top global brand that conveys inspiration to 8 billion people worldwide," adding, "We aim to expand BBQ outlets to 50,000 by 2030 and surpass McDonald's."
Meanwhile, it is reported that former CEO Shim has stepped down from his position this month for personal reasons. Born in 1967 and a former executive at Ministop, Shim succeeded Vice Chairman Yoon Kyung-joo, the brother of Chairman Yoon, on July 8 last year and led BBQ for about a year.