Samsung appoints first non-family woman CEO

Samsung has made history by naming Kim Kyung-Ah as the CEO of Samsung Bioepis Co., making her the first woman outside the founding family to lead a group company in its 86-year existence. This significant appointment, as per reports, coincides with a broader leadership reshuffle within the South Korean conglomerate, signalling progress in gender diversity.

Kim’s elevation comes at a time when South Korea is gradually addressing gender disparities in corporate leadership. Despite improvements, women remain underrepresented, holding just 10% of board seats at 269 major listed firms as of 2023, according to consultancy CEOScore. This is a notable increase from 3% in 2019 and 6.9% in 2021, following a 2020 law aimed at increasing gender diversity on boards.

However, challenges persist. South Korea still has the largest gender pay gap among developed nations, as per the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Against this backdrop, Kim’s rise stands out as a beacon of hope for broader inclusion and empowerment of women in leadership roles.

Aged 56, Kim Kyung-Ah brings an impressive academic and professional background to her new role. She holds a Ph.D. in neurotoxicology from Johns Hopkins University, where she specialized in studying the effects of chemical and biological agents on the nervous system.

Kim has over two decades of experience in biologics development. Since joining Samsung Bioepis in 2015, she has been instrumental in driving product innovations and expanding the company’s portfolio in biosimilar drugs. Her tenure at Bioepis follows her earlier roles at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, the company’s research and development division. There, she focused on developing antibody therapies for cancer, first as a principal scientist and later as vice president.

Kim is only the second woman to head a Samsung affiliate, following Lee Boo-jin, the granddaughter of Samsung’s late founder Lee Byung-chull, who serves as the CEO of Hotel Shilla Co. Unlike Lee, Kim’s ascent is particularly significant as it breaks the company’s tradition of reserving top leadership roles for family members or men.