Samsung Group has appointed Kim Kyung-Ah as the first woman outside its founding family to lead a group company in its 86-year history. Announced on the 27th of November 2024, Kim will serve as president and CEO of Samsung Bioepis Co. following the company’s annual management reshuffle.
Kim, 56, holds a doctorate in neurotoxicology from Johns Hopkins University and brings over 20 years of experience in biologic development. At Bioepis, she will oversee product advancements in biologics, a key growth area for the company. Before joining Bioepis in 2015, she held roles as principal scientist and vice president at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, focusing on oncology antibody therapeutics.
While significant, Kim’s appointment highlights the challenges of gender diversity in South Korea’s corporate sector. In 2023, only 10% of board members at large listed companies were women, up from 3% in 2019, according to consultancy CEOScore. A 2020 law requiring gender-diverse boards has driven gradual improvements, but South Korea still faces the highest gender wage gap among developed nations, per OECD data.
Kim is the second woman to lead a Samsung affiliate, following Lee Boo-jin, granddaughter of founder Lee Byung-chull and CEO of Hotel Shilla. Her appointment reflects Samsung’s broader strategy to expand leadership diversity and strengthen its biologics business.
