Published : Sept. 27, 2021 - 15:12
The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra performs on Aug. 26 at the Lotte Concert Hall in eastern Seoul. (SPO)
The new head of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra is likely to be a CJ vice president who led the company’s marketing strategy for the Bibigo brand.
According to a report by Kookmin Ilbo Monday, the committee in charge of appointing a new head for the orchestra has decided on Sohn Eun-kyung, the executive vice-president at CJ CheilJedang.
An announcement on the CEO appointment is expected soon, an SPO official told The Korea Herald.
Since Kang Eun-kyung stepped down as president and CEO of the orchestra in February after a three-year tenure, Seoul city government’s cultural division chief has filled in as acting president.
Sohn studied international relations at the Seoul National University and earned a master’s degree in political science at Stanford University.
She started her marketing career in 1995 as an assistant brand manager for Procter & Gamble and later worked at SC Johnson, L’oreal Paris and GS Caltex. After working at Cheil Industry’s fashion division, she joined CJ CheilJedang in 2017.
Sohn has made a name for herself in the industry in leading the marketing strategy for Bibigo, a brand launched under CJ CheilJedang to globalize hansik, or Korean cuisine.
The committee is also to appoint Kang Kyu-hyeong, the former director at terrestrial broadcaster KBS, as managing director of the SPO.
Meanwhile, Ahn Ho-sang, dean of Hongik University’s Graduate School of Performing Arts, is to be appointed as the head of the Sejong Center of Performing Arts. Ahn, who worked at the Seoul Arts Center and the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, was the head of the National Theater of Korea from 2012 to 2017.
By Im Eun-byel (
silverstar@heraldcorp.com)