Hankook will be led by two CEOs

Hankook Tire held a meeting of shareholders and a meeting of the board of directors, approving two new co-CEOs, Ahn Jung-soon and Lee Sang-hoon. The first will oversee R&D, procurement, and production, while the second will be responsible for the company's global market development and marketing efforts to ensure Hankook's status as a premium brand, including through supplies for new car models.

Hankook notes that it intends to increase management efficiency, ensure sustainable business growth, and improve profitability with the support of the two new co-CEOs, each with extensive experience in their field. "The strategy is to expand the presence in the premium tire segment through innovation and increase the brand value to take a leading position in the future mobility tire market," the company said in a statement.

Ahn previously implemented a strategy to strengthen the technological competitiveness of the holding company Hankook & Company, which includes Hankook Tire. In 2021, he headed the innovation division as president of the battery business unit, and in 2022, he became its CEO. Under his leadership, Hankook increased sales of premium lead-acid batteries in the global market, improving its profitability, the company reports.

In turn, Lee specializes in marketing and global market development strategies. Since 2018, he has held positions as Hankook's regional manager in various regions of the world, including China and Europe, and in 2020, he was appointed head of the company's European division, "strengthening the premium brand image and making a significant contribution to sales growth." At the end of last year, Lee took the post of CEO of Hankook Tire.