New POSCO Chmn. Choi to Step Up Reform Drive
Chmn. Choi Jeong-woo declares plan to strengthen growth engines in new energy materials, EV batteries and ESS at first media briefing following shareholders approval of appointment
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New Chairman Choi Jeong-woo visits the 2nd Blast Furnace of POSCO Pohang Steel Complex to encourage the technicians following his inauguration as the top executive of the steel giant on July 27.
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Chairman Choi Jeong-woo of POSCO.
New POSCO Chairman Choi Jeong-woo said he will step up a reform drive to strengthen the non-steel area of POSCO’s operations, such as the new energy sector and key materials for EV batteries. He will also take up policies to produce more high-quality steel with segregated strategies to make the company highly competitive. He said he will hire outside experts to take charge of the EV battery and ESS production segments.
At a meeting with media following the shareholders’ approval of his appointment on July 27, the new chairman said he will aim to set up new affiliates to take charge of the new growth engines, such as both poles and negative poles, including R&D activities and marketing in a bid to boost synergy in those new business sectors. He said he will conduct organizational reform of POSCO and its affiliates at the end of this year to set up new affiliates for the new growth engines, including EV batteries and ESS, and hire outside experts to run them.
The new chairman said he would like to see POSCO’s new energy materials sector share 20 percent of the market by 2030, with annual revenue coming to 15 trillion won. At present, POSCO ESM produces both poles products while POSCO Chemtech has been turning out negative pole products. The two companies supply their products to LG Chem and Samsung SDI, South Korea’s two EV battery makers. The two POSCO affiliates plan to go as far as producing raw materials for both poles and negative pole as they use lithium as the key raw material along with cobalt and manganese aluminum mixes.
On POSCO’s survival in the next century, the chairman stressed the need for new value to be created with a strategy named, “Business with POSCO; society with POSCO; and People with POSCO.”
An old saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together,” sums up the new strategy, he said, as the steel maker will be a corporate citizen to grow together with shareholders, suppliers and the regional society.
He also will listen to opinions not only from experts but also from the general public, so he can make decisions about his management roadmap, the company said.
It will receive opinions through POSCO’s and affiliates' websites and through the email address loveletter@posco.com. The company said any opinions from employees, shareholders, clients, partner companies and others will be welcomed and reviewed by experts at the POSCO Research Institute.
"POSCO's accomplishments in the past 50 years were possible because of the support of the public, residents of Pohang and Gwangyang, shareholders, clients and partner companies," Choi said in a statement. Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, and Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, are the two base cities for the steel giant,” Chairman Choi Jeong-woo stated.
He continued: "Before embarking on POSCO's next 50 years, we would like to hear from all of these people about what the company should fix or improve. On my 100th day in office, I will announce a detailed reform package reflecting those opinions."Before embarking on POSCO's next 50 years, we would like to hear from all of these people about what the company should fix or improve. On my 100th day in office, I will announce a detailed reform package reflecting those opinions,” he said.
Chairman Choi’s nomination was widely interpreted as POSCO's effort to install fresh leadership and diversify its business portfolio. He has spent most of his POSCO career with the company's non-steel businesses and led POSCO Chemtech, an affiliate producing materials for secondary batteries, before his nomination.
최정우 제9대 포스코 회장 취임
최 회장, 실질을 기반으로, 실행을 중시하고, 실리를 추구하는 ‘3실(實)’ 강조.100년 기업을 향한 새로운 비전 ‘With POSCO(더불어 함께 발전하는 기업시민)’ 제시
포스코 최정우 회장이 공식 취임했다.
포스코 최정우 신임 회장은 27일 개최된 임시주주총회에서 사내이사로 선임된 뒤, 이어 열린 이사회에서 포스코그룹의 제 9대 대표이사 회장으로 선임됐다.
이어 포항으로 이동한 최정우 회장은 취임식을 갖고 포스코가 100년 기업을 향한 새로운 길로 나아가기 위해서는 현재 시대가 요구하고 있는 새로운 가치로 재무장해야 한다면서 ‘With POSCO(더불어 함께 발전하는 기업시민)’를 새로운 비전으로 제시했다.
또한 이 비전을 달성하기 위한 세 가지 개혁방향으로 △고객, 공급사, 협력사 등과 함께 가치를 만들어 나가는 Business With POSCO, △더 나은 사회를 함께 만들어가는 Society With POSCO, △신뢰와 창의의 기업문화를 함께 만들어가는 People With POSCO를 정하고 새로운 포스코의 길 <New POSCO Road>를 걸어나가겠다고 밝혔다.
최 회장은 세 가지 개혁방향을 완수하기 위해 비즈니스 측면에서 안전하고 경제적인 철강생산체제를 구축해 세계 최고 수준의 경쟁력을 확고히 하면서 국내 철강산업생태계 전반의 경쟁력을 높이는 데 일익을 담당하고, 그룹내 사업은 시너지가 높은 유관사업을 발굴해 재배치하고 경쟁 열위의 사업은 끊임없이 재편할 것이라고 말했다.
이와 함께 더 나은 사회를 위해서는 사회공헌활동을 사회적 가치 창출로 업그레이드해 사회와 함께하는 포스코가 되도록 하고, 임직원들 각자도 새로운 시대, 미래세대를 위해 더불어 함께 발전하고, 배려와 공존, 공생의 가치를 추구하는 성숙한 기업문화를 새로운 포스코 브랜드로 만들어 나가자고 당부했다.
최정우 회장은 개혁을 추진하기 위한 임직원들의 마음가짐으로 △형식보다는 실질, △보고보다는 실행, △명분보다는 실리 등 ‘3실(實)’을 제시했다.
한편 최정우 신임 포스코 회장은 취임식 이후 포항제철소 2고로 생산현장을 방문해 직원들을 격려했다.
