SK interviews 250 SK hynix executives after 14 years

(SK hynix)

SK Group is conducting one-on-one in-depth interviews with about 250 executives at SK hynix for the first time in 14 years as Chairman Chey Tae-won seeks concrete plans to strengthen the chipmaker’s global capabilities.

According to business sources Thursday, a group of SK vice chairmen has been individually interviewing SK hynix executives since mid-August.

The interviewers include Yu Jeong-joon, vice chairman overseeing the group’s U.S. operations; So Jin-woo, vice chairman overseeing China; and Lee Hyung-hee, vice chairman of SK Inc. The interviews cover about 250 executives, excluding SK hynix President and CEO Kwak Noh-Jung and outside directors.

The last time every SK hynix executive underwent an individual interview was in 2012, shortly after SK acquired Hynix, when Chey personally met each executive.

SK hynix briefly rose to the top of the global DRAM market last year and is expected to post operating profit of nearly 250 trillion won ($181.03 billion) this year, cementing its status as SK Group’s flagship company.

The chipmaker is also rapidly expanding its global operations. It listed American depositary receipts in the United States this year and is building an advanced semiconductor packaging plant in Indiana.

The interviews are expected to help SK Group formulate detailed action plans for SK hynix’s next phase of global expansion.