GS Group chairman stresses preemptive action for 2026

GS Group Chairman Huh Tae-soo / Courtesy of GS Group

GS Group Chairman Huh Tae-soo released his 2026 New Year’s message to employees on Monday, stressing that the energy conglomerate should “take preemptive steps and bold action to achieve tangible results.”

In the message, Huh reflected on a particularly challenging year, as global supply chain shifts accelerated and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven transformation progressed rapidly across industries.

He noted that uncertainty will continue to cloud the group’s business domain next year and urged the group to strengthen its core competitiveness.

“With low oil prices and demand slowdown likely to persist, the structural challenges surrounding the energy and chemical industries will not be resolved in the short term,” Huh said. “If we fail to maintain the competitiveness of our existing businesses, we cannot secure any kind of future, so it is essential to respond proactively to change, preserve profitability and execute carefully to manage risks.”

Huh said the expansion of AI services brings new opportunities for the group by driving structural growth in electricity demand, accelerating energy transition and spurring new investments to reshape the overall business landscape.

“With its capabilities across energy, infrastructure and operations, GS is well positioned to secure a wide range of related business opportunities ahead of our rivals amid these changes,” he said. “If we align our capabilities more organically, we will be able to create new business opportunities and secure market-leading competitiveness.”