SK Group has launched a sweeping leadership reshuffle and organizational overhaul for next year, accelerating a generational shift and tightening its focus on artificial intelligence-driven growth and faster execution.
The latest appointments, approved by the group’s top decision-making body, the SK Supex Council, build on a presidential-level reshuffle in October aimed at reducing bureaucratic layers and empowering “operationally focused” management, the group said Thursday.
This year, 85 executives were newly promoted, reflecting a continued pivot toward younger leadership. More than 60 percent are in their 40s, and 20 percent were born in the 1980s, with the youngest being Ahn Hong-beom, SK Telecom’s head for networks, artificial intelligence and digital transformation, born in 1983. The average age of newly promoted executives is now 48.8 years old, down from 49.4 last year. Of the eight newly appointed female executives, six were also born in the 1980s — a sign that the group is broadening representation as well as youth.
Although the number of promotions had declined steadily from 165 in 2022 to 80 last year, the increase to 85 in 2025 underscores SK’s push to build a pipeline for next-generation talent.
“The group aims to accelerate tangible change by reinforcing execution, improving operational discipline and cultivating next-generation leaders,” an SK official said. “These reforms will lay the groundwork for future growth across all businesses.”
In the latest leadership shuffle, SK Energy CEO Kim Jong-hwa was also appointed CEO of SK Geocentric, the chemical subsidiary of SK Innovation. Kim will lead the integration of petroleum and chemical operations to strengthen cost competitiveness and unlock synergies across the value chain.
Major affiliates also carried out structural changes to speed their shift into high-value AI and semiconductor businesses.
SK hynix will establish global AI research centers in the US, China and Japan, led by Chief Development Officer Ahn Hyun, to advance computing system architecture and deepen collaboration with global tech leaders.
The US center will prioritize the recruitment of top-tier researchers to push system-level capabilities to “industry-leading levels.”
SK hynix will also launch a global infrastructure unit overseeing its advanced packaging fab in Indiana, and a macro research center to analyze geopolitical risk, industry shifts and AI-related policy impacts.
A dedicated high bandwidth memory support team will serve strategic customers in the Americas, while a new packaging yield and quality unit will support custom HBM products.
SK Innovation will create a new AI transformation unit reporting directly to the CEO to streamline decision-making and enable faster execution.
SK Ecoplant will form an AI solutions business, integrating its construction and energy portfolios, including data center projects, to drive new digital revenue streams.
herim@heraldcorp.com
