SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won to Chair CEO Seminar, Review Next Year’s AI Strategy and Business Restructuring Results

[Financial News] SK Group will hold a chief executive officer (CEO) seminar chaired by Chairman Chey Tae-won to review next year’s artificial intelligence (AI) business strategy and the results of its business restructuring. Plans to expand synergies among semiconductors, including high-bandwidth memory (HBM), AI data centers and energy businesses are expected to be a key agenda item.
The group is also expected to discuss follow-up tasks from its ongoing business rebalancing (structural restructuring) and explore ways to strengthen profitability at each affiliate.
According to business sources on the 11th, SK Group will hold a CEO seminar from the 12th to the 14th at the SKMS Research Institute in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. The seminar will be attended by executives from major affiliates, including Chairman Chey Tae-won, Senior Vice Chairman Chey Jae-won and Chey Chang-won, chair of the SK Supex Council. The event will feature internal presentations and discussions, as well as talks by outside experts, and will provide a forum to discuss the group’s management priorities for next year and its mid- to long-term business strategy.
As at last year’s seminar, strengthening the competitiveness of the AI business and expanding cooperation among affiliates are expected to be key agenda items this year. The group is expected to discuss ways to maximize synergies across SK Group by linking SK hynix’s semiconductor business, including HBM, with SK Telecom Co., Ltd. (SKT)’s AI data centers and SK Innovation Co., Ltd.’s AI energy business.
In particular, the seminar is expected to review business opportunities arising from increased investment in global AI infrastructure, while also discussing strategies to address market uncertainty. With concerns growing since the recent U.S. midterm elections over regulation of the AI industry and the sustainability of investment, changes in memory chip demand next year and the market outlook are also expected to be among the key areas under review.
The seminar is also expected to address follow-up tasks from the business rebalancing and operational improvement (O/I) efforts that have been pursued continuously since Chey Chang-won took office as chair. To cope with uncertainty in the global business environment, SK Group has pursued a portfolio reshaping centered on core businesses, including selling non-core assets and reorganizing its affiliates.
This year, the group continued restructuring its businesses, including SK Inc.’s sale of its stake in SK Siltron and SK Innovation Co., Ltd.’s absorption merger with SK ie technology (SKIET). With much of the major business restructuring now completed, discussions are expected to focus on improving operational efficiency at each affiliate and boosting actual profitability.
The business strategy of SK ecoplant, which SK Inc. recently decided to make a wholly owned subsidiary, is also drawing attention. As SK ecoplant is reshaping its business around semiconductors and AI infrastructure, there is speculation that plans to expand cooperation with related affiliates within the group and strengthen its growth base could take more concrete shape.
Executives who joined the group following last month’s appointments of senior executives will also attend the seminar. SK Group has reshuffled the management of its energy affiliates, including appointing Jung Seung-il, president in charge of future growth at SK Inc., as CEO of SK Innovation.
Restructuring the energy business and securing future growth engines are also expected to be major topics. Amid continued oil price volatility stemming from geopolitical instability in the Middle East and the possibility of a global economic slowdown, the seminar is expected to cover a wide range of issues, including restructuring the petrochemical business, expanding SK On’s energy storage system (ESS) orders, and strengthening the competitiveness of liquefied natural gas (LNG) power generation and power solutions businesses.
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