Who is Lee Jae-keun and what roles has he held at KB Financial Group?

Lee Jae-keun is KB Financial Group’s next chairman and a long-time KB executive with more than three decades at the group. He has worked in finance, strategy, global operations, wealth management and banking leadership roles.

Why was Lee Jae-keun chosen as KB Financial Group’s next chairman?

The article says he is a KB veteran who helped diversify the group’s non-bank portfolio through major acquisitions and later reshaped the bank’s earnings structure. It also notes that he has overseen global, wealth-management and SME businesses since last year.

When will Lee Jae-keun’s appointment as KB Financial Group chairman be finalized?

His appointment is scheduled to be finalized at a shareholder meeting on Nov. 20. That is when incumbent Chairman Yang Jong-hee’s current term expires.

Who is Lee Jae-keun?

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Summary

Lee Jae-keun was named KB Financial Group’s next chairman on Friday and is a KB veteran with more than three decades of experience across finance, strategy, global operations and wealth management. Born in 1966, he studied mathematics at Sogang University and financial engineering at KAIST. He joined Housing & Commercial Bank in 1993 and later served as the industry’s youngest bank chief in 2022. His appointment will be finalized at a shareholder meeting on Nov. 20, when incumbent Chairman Yang Jong-hee’s term expires.

Key Facts

Lee Jae-keun was born in 1966 and studied mathematics at Sogang University before majoring in financial engineering at KAIST.
He joined Housing & Commercial Bank in 1993 and has spent more than three decades at KB.
As head of financial planning and chief financial officer at the holding company, he helped lead the acquisitions of LIG Insurance, Hyundai Securities and Woori Financial.
He became the industry’s youngest bank chief in 2022 and has overseen the group’s global, wealth-management and small- and medium-sized enterprise businesses since last year.
His appointment is due to be finalized at a shareholder meeting on Nov. 20, when Yang Jong-hee’s current term expires.

By Lee Yeon-woo

Published Sep 11, 2026 7:38 pm KST

Lee Jae-keun speaks at his inauguration as CEO of KB Kookmin Bank at the bank's headquarters in Seoul, Jan. 3 2022. He is named KB Financial Group's next chairman, Friday. Courtesy of KB Financial Group

Lee Jae-keun, who was named KB Financial Group's next chairman on Friday, is a KB veteran who has held senior roles spanning finance, strategy, global operations and wealth management for more than three decades.

Lee, born in 1966, graduated from Sogang University with a degree in mathematics before studying financial engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

In 1993, he joined Housing & Commercial Bank, a predecessor of KB Kookmin Bank, and has spent more than three decades at KB.

Lee served as head of financial planning and chief financial officer (CFO) at the holding company, where he played a leading role in the acquisitions of LIG Insurance, Hyundai Securities and Woori Financial, a consumer lending company formerly owned by Woori Financial Group, helping diversify the group's non-bank portfolio.

He then moved to the banking unit, serving as CFO and head of sales before being named the industry's youngest bank chief in 2022. During his three-year tenure, Lee helped reshape the bank's earnings structure and laid the groundwork for record net income in 2025.

Since last year, he has overseen the group's global, wealth-management and small- and medium-sized enterprise businesses.

Lee's appointment is due to be finalized at a shareholder meeting on Nov. 20, when incumbent Chairman Yang Jong-hee's current term expires.

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