Lotte Hi-Mart names Kim Jong-yun as new CEO

Lotte Hi-Mart announced Friday that it has named Executive Vice President Kim Jong-yun, a corporate strategy specialist, as its incoming CEO.

Kim built his career in business strategy, marketing and new business development at Google, McKinsey & Company and Yanolja. At Yanolja, he led global investment fundraising, business portfolio expansion and overseas market entry. He also helped build AI- and data-driven operating systems and cloud SaaS business models.

Kim is regarded in the industry as a hands-on executive who has driven business innovation through data-based decision-making and global operations experience.

He plans to push forward a customer-centered business model overhaul at Lotte Hi-Mart, which has been focused on structural reform, while identifying new growth engines to lay the foundation for sustainable growth.

Outgoing CEO Nam Chang-hee, who led Lotte Hi-Mart from December 2022, submitted his resignation for personal reasons.

Meanwhile, Lotte has shifted from a year-end scheduled executive appointment system to an on-demand one, aiming to respond more flexibly to global business uncertainty and accelerate execution across its operations.