Koo Bon-gyu promoted to vice chairman as LS Wire & Cable chief rises in group reshuffle

LS Group held a board meeting Thursday and announced its executive appointments for 2027.

The reshuffle centers on generational renewal — marked by the promotion of a third-generation owner-family member to vice chairman and the appointment of the largest new director class in the group's history. At the same time, the group retained most CEOs at its major affiliates, signaling a focus on organizational stability and sustained growth momentum in the face of an uncertain business environment.

In this round of appointments, Koo Bon-gyu of LS Wire & Cable was promoted to vice chairman; Kim Hyung-won, also of LS Wire & Cable, to president; and Kim Woo-tae, likewise of LS Wire & Cable, to executive vice president. Three executives were elevated to senior managing director: Jo Mun-gi of E1, Kim Byung-ok of LS Marine Solution and Hong Young-ho of LS Materials. Nine executives were promoted to managing director: Byeon Jeong-il of LS Wire & Cable; Kim Hee-jung and Koo So-hee of LS Electric; Kwak Seong-seok of LS MnM; Ko Wan of LS Mtron; Jeon Jin-man of E1; Son Tae-won of Gaon Cable; Oh Chang-ho of LS Metal; and Kim Seong-jik of GRM.

Koo Bon-gyu has served as CEO of LS Wire & Cable since 2022, leading growth across the company and its key subsidiaries — including Gaon Cable, LS Eco Energy and LS Marine Solution. He is credited with upgrading the business structure and strengthening global competitiveness, driving record earnings and order results. His promotion follows that of Koo Bon-hyuk, CEO and vice chairman of Inveni (formerly Yesco Holdings), who became the first third-generation owner-family member to reach vice chairman within the group in 2024. With Koo Bon-gyu's elevation, the group now has two third-generation vice chairmen.

Kim Hyung-won, previously an executive vice president at LS Wire & Cable, was promoted to president in recognition of his leadership of the energy business, including expanding global orders and driving growth in the submarine cable segment. Kim will oversee both energy management and safety management. The group also brought in outside talent to prepare for the future, recruiting Choi Won-jin — who has extensive capital markets experience and global expertise gained at the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the IMF — as head of the corporate strategy division at LS. Choi will monitor the group's future business initiatives and strengthen its financial strategy, including proactive responses to shifts in industrial policy and market trends.

Koo Bon-kwon, another third-generation LS executive, moves from LS MnM to LS Mtron, where he will serve as chief operating officer. The move is aimed at reinforcing management stability across LS Mtron and bolstering the company's ability to navigate internal and external business uncertainties.

The group also appointed 17 new directors — the largest such class on record, accounting for roughly 60 percent of all promotees. They are: Keum Dong-hee, Heo Hoe-deok, Lee Su-gil and Park Chang-hun of LS Wire & Cable; Lee Sang-su and Heo Young-mu of LS Electric; Ha Sang-gyun and Lee Chung-hwa of LS MnM; Jeong Geun-bung and Do Seung-uk of LS Mtron; Park Hyun-chang of E1; Lee Jeong-min and Koo Won-gyeong of Inveni; Choi Jun-hwan of Yesco; Kwon Se-jin of Gaon Cable; Park Jae-hyun of LS Metal; and Kim Tae-gyu of LS ITC.