Hanssem CEO Eugene Kim becomes IMM PE's first female partner

Hanssem CEO and IMM PE Partner Eugene Kim / Courtesy of IMM PE

IMM Private Equity's star player Eugene Kim, CEO at Hanssem since August, has become the private equity firm's first female partner, the company announced Friday.

The private equity firm explained that her appointment as partner reflects the company's management policy of rewarding highly competent employees with speedy promotions.

Since joining IMM Private Equity in 2009, Kim has demonstrated superior strategic capabilities, successfully transforming the firm's debt-ridden portfolio companies to yield surpluses.

Her successful track record of turning company losses into profits includes coffee brand Hollys and cosmetics firm Able C&C.

After taking the helm at Able C&C in 2021, Kim achieved profits and sales growth within a year of her appointment by improving the firm's structures and expanding the business beyond local markets, such as North America, Japan and Europe. During her time in charge of Hollys from 2017 to 2020, she also demonstrated management genius by increasing investments in the coffee chain company's IT systems and roasting centers.

IMM Private Equity once again appointed Kim to lead Hanssem this summer, in order to salvage the furnishing company which suffered its first annual loss of 21.7 billion won ($16.5 million) last year since its listing in 2002. Under her leadership, Hanssem achieved a swift turnaround, posting a quarterly profit of 4.9 billion won in the third quarter.

Born in 1981, she graduated from KAIST and received a master's degree in business from Seoul National University. She worked at Boston Consulting Group until joining IMM Private Equity in 2009.