Interview: Mr. Jean-Luc Valerio, President, European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) Korea

A French National, Mr. Jean-Luc Valerio is President of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) Korea, and has been in the country since February 2007. EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defense and related services. The Group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world largest helicopter supplier Eurocopter and EADS Astrium, the European leader in space programs from Ariane to Galileo. In 2010, the Group’s 10th anniversary year, it generated revenues of € 45.8 billion and employed a workforce of some 122,000. Before relocating to Korea, Mr. Valerio was Senior Vice-President, EADS International-China, and also Head of Singapore Office of EADS International. An aeronautical engineering, he graduated from the French Air Force Academy (Ecole de l’Air) and also has a military...

Read more »

Interview: Mr. Kim Byung-soo, Director General, Foreign Investor Support Office, InvestKorea

Invest KOREA (IK), Korea's national investment promotion agency, was established within the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) with the sole purpose of supporting the entry and successful establishment of foreign business into Korea. With assistance extending to comprehensive post-establishment services, IK enables foreign corporations to maximize the benefits of the Korean investment environment to ensure their rapid settlement in Korea. The agency is committed to providing unmatched, comprehensive one-stop service that allows foreign investors to join many of the world's most successful corporations who have selected Korea as an investment destination and been rewarded by high returns on the investment. The new head of the Foreign Investor Support Office in the investment promotion...

Read more »

Interview: Mr. Karel de Gucht, European Union Trade Commissioner

In January 2010, Mr. Karel de Gucht, took over as the European Commissioner for Trade. At the same time, in the new Commission the trade portfolio was extended to cover the coordination of industrial relations with other world powers (Transatlantic Economic Council, TEC). Previously, he had served as the development & humanitarian aid commissioner, Belgian deputy prime minister, and Belgian minister of foreign affairs. He has a law degree from the Free University of Brussels, and at the age of 26 become a member of the European Parliament. After 14 years of active experience, Commissioner De Gucht became a Belgian senator, and a year later was elected to the Flemish Parliament as a member of the Vlaams Liberaal Democraten, and served as party chairman from 1999–2003. Commissioner De Gucht...

Read more »

Interview: Mr. Kim Dong-soo, Chairman, Korea Fair Trade Commission

The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) is a ministerial-level central administrative organization under the authority of the Prime Minister and also functions as a quasi-judiciary body. The Commission formulates and administers competition policies, and deliberates, decides, and handles antitrust cases. It performs its roles and duties independently without any intervention from an outside organization. The organization is committed to four main mandates : promoting competition, strengthening consumers' rights, creating a competitive environment for SMEs and restraining concentration of economic power. To that end, the Commission enforces 12 laws including the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act (MRFTA). On 3 January 2011, Mr. Kim Dong-soo was appointed as the new Chairman of the KFTC....

Read more »

Interview: Mr. Lee Chae-pil, Minister of Employment & Labor

In early June this year, President Lee Myung-bak carried out a cabinet reshuffle, replacing five key ministers. Mr. Lee Chae-pil, was nominated and then confirmed as the new Minister of Employment & labor. The new minister has been vice labor minister since March 2010. His work on labor issues dates back to 1982 and was a Blue House official for labor in the early 1990s. In an exclusive interview Minister Lee outlines his policy vision and plans. Could you please describe the Ministry’s policy priorities and objectives for 2011? The Ministry of Employment and Labor recently announced our vision and mission. Our vision is ‘to ensure employment for all and to make a happy nation through work’. To realize this vision, the Ministry is promoting policy measures to provide support for job...

Read more »

Social Media Explained

...

Read more »

Interview: Mr. Tang Jun, Chairman, YangGuang Co. Ltd.,

YangGuang Co., Ltd. is a public company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange since 1996. In 2006, YangGuang signed an investment agreement with Reco Shine Pte Ltd., which is a subsidiary of GIC Real Estate Pte Ltd., and became the first A-share listed real estate company in China with a foreign investor being its major shareholder. Mr. Tang Jun, Chairman, Yangguang, tells us bout his company plans and the Chinese real estate market. Could you give us some background about your company? YangGuang focuses on holding, investing, leasing and managing the operations of commercial real estate, while at the same time being involved with the development and management of high-end apartments, hotels, office buildings, and urban complexes. In order to establish a competitive advantage...

Read more »

Interview: Mr. Kim Young-hwan, Chairman, National Assembly's Knowledge Economy Committee

The Standing Committees of the National Assembly examine bills and petitions falling under their respective jurisdictions, and perform other duties as prescribed by other Acts. There are 16 standing committees of which the Knowledge Economy Committee is quite important. The chairman of each Standing Committee represents the Standing Committee, regulate its proceedings, maintain order, and supervise its affairs. Mr. Kim Young-hwan, Chairman of the National Assembly's Knowledge Economy Committee was born in Goesan, North Chungcheong Province. Graduating from Yonsei School of Dentistry, he got a master’s degree in economy from the same university. In 1996, he was first elected to enter the National Assembly. He was reelected in 2000 to serve for the second term, yet failed in...

Read more »

Interview: Ms. Sandra A. Urie, Chairman & CEO, Cambridge Associates

Cambridge Associates is a privately held independent consulting firm that provides investment consulting and oversight services to more than 900 clients worldwide. The company strives to help global institutional investors and private clients meet or exceed their investment objectives by offering proactive, unbiased advice grounded in intensive and independent research. In this interview, Ms. Sandra A. Urie, Cambridge Associates’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer tells us more. Could you give us a brief background about your organization? Cambridge Associates was formed in 1973. The concept for our firm grew out of work done for Harvard University by our two founders, James Bailey and Hunter Lewis, who are still involved in overseeing the firm today. Over our nearly forty years in business...

Read more »

Interview: Mr. Choi Joong-kyung, Minister of Knowledge Economy

Minister of knowledge Economy Choi Joong-kyung is a veteran finance official who has served in key finance posts in the government and Blue House. He passed the civil service exam in 1978, beginning his career as a finance official. He was appointed vice minister at the Ministry of Strategy and Finance when President Lee took office in February 2008 and pushed a weak won policy to boost the country’s exports during the recent financial crisis. He also held the post of President Lee’s senior secretary for economic affairs. In an exclusive interview, he speaks about his priorities and plans for this year. What are your main priorities for this year, and what is your proposed action plan? Korea posted the world’s seventh-largest export volume in 2010 and overcame the global economic crisis. However,...

Read more »

Interview: Mr. Robert Gilchrist, Founder & CEO, Rockspring Property Investment Managers LLP

Rockspring Property Investment Managers LLP, now in it’s 27th year, specialises in the acquisition and management of commercial property throughout the UK and continental Europe on behalf of over 220 major institutional clients from around the globe. On behalf of single-client accounts, investment is made either directly into property assets or, indirectly, through the group’s series of tax-efficient, co-mingled investment funds. Originally established in 1984 as MIM Property Services, Rockspring was one of the first UK-based property managers to specialise in European investment. Working exclusively with institutional investors, the business grew quickly, and in 1993, was bought by Prudential Financial of the USA and became PRICOA Property Investment Management. Following an MBO in 2004,...

Read more »

Interview: Mr. Hyun In-taek, Minister of Unification

On May 9th, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak made a surprising offer by inviting North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to Seoul for an international nuclear summit next year with U.S. President Barack Obama and dozens of world leaders if Pyongyang makes a firm commitment to give up its atomic programs. The proposal, if realized and followed through by Pyongyang, could theoretically lead to the North's reclusive leader attending an international summit with foreign leaders for the first time ever, as well as to a rare summit between leaders of the two Koreas. The proposal was seen as aimed at pressuring Pyongyang to make a strategic choice to give up nuclear ambitions. It was also believed to be aimed at helping break the deadlock in inter-Korean relations, frayed badly after the North's two...

Read more »