Hana Financial chief hit the road to assure, woo investors

Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo met with global investors Tuesday to promote the company's goals and financial soundness on the first day of a two-day trip to Hong Kong.

Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo talks to investors during a finance event held in Singapore in May. Ham is on a two-day trip to Hong Kong, which started on Tuesday, to meet with local investors. [HANA FINANCIAL GROUP]

Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo met with global investors Tuesday to promote the company's goals and financial soundness on the first day of a two-day trip to Hong Kong.

Ham’s Hong Kong trip marks the second overseas investor relations event this year, following an event held in Singapore in May, which was attended by the governor of the Financial Supervisory Service and heads of other financial groups.

Ham will have a marathon of meetings through Wednesday with executives from 10 investment companies, including longtime investors in Hana Financial Group and potential investors.

At these meetings, the chairman will share with investors the firm’s financial achievements, sound asset quality, mid- to long-term strategies and ESG management.

Hana Financial Group’s shareholder return policy will be another key point of discussion to encourage participants at the event to invest on the company.

Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo, second from left in the front row, poses for a photo with employees of Hana Bank's Hong Kong branch on Tuesday. [HANA FINANCIAL GROUP]

Ham will meet with longtime Hong Kong investors who have been Hana’s partners since the group was founded in 2005 and institutional investors who have supported its efforts in improving ESG and shareholder returns.

“There is nothing more important than hearing the voices of foreign investors and local employees to boost cooperation in the global scene,” Ham said in a statement.

Hana Financial Group has been actively pursuing communication with global investors to host more foreign investment.

Ham is also set to visit Europe to meet with investors in London and Amsterdam to persuade players there to invest in Hana in October. He will be the first Hana Financial Group chairman in 13 years to go on more than two overseas trips to host investor relations programs in a year.

Nearly 70 percent of Hana shareholders are foreign investors.

At the organizational level, Hana is increasing its investor relations unit and global promotion activities to respond to global demands.

Ham visited a Hana Bank branch in Hong Kong ahead of the investor relations event to thank local employees and listen to their opinions on driving the group forward.

BY SOHN DONG-JOO [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]