Shin Dong-bin calls AI transformation 'a matter of survival' as Lotte holds half-year strategy meeting

Lotte held its second-half Value Creation Meeting (VCM) for 2026 at Lotte World Tower in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Wednesday.

The VCM — formerly known as the presidents' meeting — brings together about 80 senior leaders twice a year, including Lotte Holdings Chairman Shin Dong-bin, the company's co-CEOs and division heads, and the chiefs of major affiliates, to discuss the group's management direction and medium- to long-term strategy.

This session will review first-half business results and share key management priorities for achieving second-half targets. Discussions will focus on sustainable growth through profitability-centered management amid an uncertain domestic and global environment.

The meeting opens with a keynote by futurist and business consultant Doug Stephens, who will draw on his experience advising leading global companies to share insights on AI trends and international market developments with Lotte's senior leadership. It marks the first time Lotte has invited a foreign speaker to its VCM.

Lotte co-CEOs Noh Jun-hyeong and Ko Jeong-wook will present the group's second-half business strategy and financial strategy, respectively. Heads of major affiliates across the food, retail, chemicals and hotel divisions will outline plans to sharpen competitiveness by focusing on the core strengths of each business.

Ahead of the VCM, Lotte will showcase its group-wide AI transformation progress through an AI agent exhibition designed to accelerate the adoption of AI technology on the ground. On display will be an AI assistant powered by voice and motion recognition, along with more than 10 AI agents developed for operational use — covering price monitoring, demand forecasting and global market outlook, among other functions.

Shin underscored the urgency of the initiative at the "CEO AI Academy" held June 5 and 6, saying that "AI transformation is not a choice — it is the group's top priority, one on which our survival depends."