By Kim Jae-won
The new Woori Bank CEO is expected to be named next week.
The bank’s Senior Vice President Lee Soon-woo, Woori Financial Group Senior Directors Yoon Sang-gu and Kim Jeong-han are considered candidates for the leadership role, according to sources.
A selection committee of Woori Financial, the holding company of the bank, interviewed five candidates in a Seoul hotel, Wednesday. Aside from the aforementioned three, Woori Financial Senior Director Jeong Hyeon-jin and Woori Bank China CEO Kim Hee-tae also presented their vision and goals for the bank during the interviews.
The committee plans to hold a meeting on Monday or Tuesday to select the final candidate.
Lee is known for his extensive experience in banking management. The 60-year-old has served as vice president of the lender since December 2004.
“Lee has a good reputation among us. He takes care of the employees, and is well versed in all banking matters,” said a manager of the lender.
Yoon has worked closely with Chairman Lee Pal-seung, who has been re-elected to continue leading the group. Yoon helped Lee in setting up a privatization plan, the No. 1 priority of the state-run financial group.
The 55-year-old started his career at Hanil Bank, just like Chairman Lee. Hanil later merged with the Commercial Bank of Korea to become the Hanbit Bank after the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis. Hanbit changed its name to Woori Bank in 2001.
Kim is experienced in overseas affairs. The 54-year-old served as the lender’s New York branch manager, and led risk management business as a vice president. He graduated from Korea University, Chairman Lee’s alma mater.
Lee, who heads the selection committee, has said that the new Woori Bank CEO should closely coordinate with the holding company, be internationally experienced and possess deep knowledge about banking affairs.
The new CEO will take the helm of the second-largest lender in the nation by assets next Friday once getting the final nod at a shareholders’ meeting scheduled for the same day.