LG group, one of South Korea`s top 10 conglomerates, promoted many of senior executives in the vehicle component (VC) business and reinforced VC division during its year-end reshuffle to ensure leadership in the electronics automotive business in an era shifting to electric and automated vehicle.

Since Vice Chairman Koo Bon-joon was moved to explore and oversee the group’s future growth engines from LG Electronics last year, the group has been focusing to expand its presence in the future vehicle technology market.

LG Electronics promoted total 58 executives this year and six of them are in the VC unit, the company said Sunday. LG Chem, LG Display and LG Innotek also promoted those who played a significant role in winning contracts and made contribution to R&D in automotive application components.

LG Electronics named managing director Yang Woong-pill who led the successful development of parts for Chevrolet Bolt EV, GM`s battery-electric car, as senior managing director. Managing director Jang Won-wook at VC North American center was also appointed as senior managing director. During this year’s shakeup, managing director Jo Young-sam who was born in 1977 became the youngest executive in the company after he was promoted to the senior managing level for his outstanding role in electric car component project. Park Jun who was in charge of vehicle audio, video and navigation in VC smart division, Kim Joong-geon in vehicle lamp development and Cho Hyun-jin at VC North American center were promoted to managing directors.

Along with the year-end reshuffle, LG Electronics newly launched the so-called Smart Business that will oversee auto infotainment project in a move to compete with Samsung Electronics that recently acquired Harman International Industries, an American automotive electronics company. It also consolidated the electric powertrain (e-PT) and the vehicle engineering (VE) units under Green Division.

LG Chem, chemical and battery making unit of the group, promoted five people to senior managing positions and three of them are in charge of electric car batteries - including Jang Seung-se at vehicle battery marketing 3, Jung Geun-chang in responsible for developing vehicle batteries and cells and Sim Won-bo, the head of battery quality center. Senior managing director Jang has joined the company from global consulting firm Monitor Group Korea to boost project competitiveness. Recently, he played an important role in winning orders from a German company. Senior managing director Jung, a specialist in developing cell materials, joined the battery research center in 2008 and took part in developing products including electric car and plug-in hybrid solutions.

Senior executive vice president Jeon Soo-ho moved his position to the head of the global production center of the battery division in LG Chem. Managing director Shin Jung-sik who led vehicle display growth was promoted to senior managing director. In LG Innotek in which only a few were promoted due to sluggish performance, those in electric car business were rewarded. Heo Dong-young in charge of developing automotive application components was promoted to a principal research engineer.

By Lee Dong-in

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