Hana Financial Group opened its new headquarters in Cheongna-dong, Incheon, Friday, bringing financial and technology teams together to strengthen collaboration among affiliates and to accelerate its adoption of artificial intelligence.
About 2,200 employees from the holding company and 10 major affiliates began moving into the headquarters in September. The complex will house about 4,000 financial and IT personnel, including staff at its existing data center, Hana said.
The opening completes the Hana Financial Town project, launched in 2012. An integrated data center opened in 2017, followed by the Hana Global Campus training facility in 2019.
"The opening of the Cheongna headquarters is the culmination of the Hana Financial Town project and marks the first step in a major transformation to align the capabilities of all group companies and employees," Chairman Ham Young-joo said at the ceremony.
Hana is counting on closer coordination between financial businesses and IT, data and digital teams to speed up the development of new services and identify growth opportunities. The headquarters is also intended to change how employees work across departments and affiliates, the group said.
The building extends 15 floors above ground with seven basement levels, comprising a floor area of about 128,000 square meters. Open office floors and internal staircases linking multiple levels are designed to encourage employees from different teams to interact.
The group has paired that layout with 5G connectivity, cloud-based virtual desktops and laptops, allowing staff to work without being tied to fixed desks or wired connections. Employees can book desks, meeting rooms and other facilities through an app or website.
Parts of the building, including a sky park, glass deck and a ramp staircase running through it, will also be accessible to the public. Hana said it plans to make the headquarters a shared space for employees and the local community.
Incheon Mayor Park Chan-dae said the opening capped years of investment efforts and reflected Hana's commitment through changing financial and economic conditions.
"Hana Financial kept its promise and put down roots in Cheongna, one step at a time," Park said at the ceremony. "Hana Financial is now an Incheon company."
Ham pledged to combine the group's financial expertise with Incheon's strengths as a global city to support local businesses and investment. Hana plans to provide financial backing for small businesses and the city's future industries, including AI, biotechnology, culture and energy.
"We will work alongside Incheon as a regional financial partner supporting the growth of its economy," Ham said.
jwc@heraldcorp.com
