 "Breaking the glass ceiling: Why Kim Kyung-Ah's Samsung CEO role matters")
For the Samsung Group, South Korea’s largest and most influential conglomerate, 2024 has been a defining year, marked by transformative milestones. From a public apology by Samsung Electronics Co to a record-breaking share buyback, the company has captured global attention. Now, history has been made with the appointment of Kim Kyung-Ah as the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Samsung Bioepis Co, the first woman beyond the founding family to helm a company in its 86-year legacy, reported Bloomberg.
This decision is groundbreaking in a country where women remain underrepresented in corporate leadership. Kim’s appointment is a milestone not just for Samsung but for South Korea’s corporate culture, which has long struggled with entrenched gender inequality. Her story is one of perseverance and excellence, likely to inspire the next generation of business leaders.
A neurotoxicology expert with a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University, Kim, 56, brings over two decades of experience in biologics development. Her expertise spans antibody therapeutics and oncology-focused research, roles she excelled in at Samsung’s Advanced Institute of Technology before joining Bioepis in 2015. She joins the leadership at a time when Samsung is reshaping its corporate structure, reflecting a broader push towards modernisation and inclusivity.
A partially cracked glass ceiling
Kim’s appointment is a significant step forward, but it also highlights South Korea’s persistent gender gap. Women account for just 10 per cent of board members among the 269 largest listed companies, according to Seoul-based consultancy CEOScore. While this marks an improvement from 3 per cent in 2019, progress remains slow in a nation where women are equally educated as men but face systemic barriers to career advancement.
The issue is reflected in South Korea’s highest-in-the-developed-world gender wage gap, with women earning a third less than men, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Labour force participation by women has risen marginally, from 49.8 per cent in 2011 to 55.6 per cent last year, yet it remains 18 percentage points lower than men’s. A study by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revealed that narrowing this gap to match peer countries could boost South Korea’s per capita income by 18 per cent.
Cultural and structural hurdles
South Korea’s rigid work culture, characterised by some of the longest working hours among OECD nations, exacerbates the challenges women face. More than 40 per cent of women leave their careers after marriage or childbirth, and those who remain often struggle to climb the corporate ladder. A government survey found that South Korean women spend three times as much time on domestic work as men, further hindering their professional aspirations.
Efforts to address these issues include government reforms mandating gender diversity on corporate boards for large companies, increasing parental leave to 18 months, and tripling childcare allowances. However, implementation remains uneven, particularly in smaller businesses, which employ 80 per cent of the workforce. Advocacy groups warn that flexible working policies targeting only women risk reinforcing gendered divisions of labour.
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Societal shifts and the role of #MeToo
Despite slow progress, societal attitudes toward gender equality are gradually evolving, propelled by the #MeToo movement and growing resistance to South Korea’s long workweeks. Female representation on boards at the top 100 companies rose from 5.2 per cent in 2020 to 15.9 per cent last year, according to recruitment search consultancy Unicosearch. The ban on single-gender boards at companies with assets exceeding 2 trillion won has contributed to this shift.
Kim Kyung-Ah’s ascent underscores the importance of role models in breaking barriers. Her appointment follows that of Lee Boo-jin, granddaughter of Samsung founder Lee Byung-chull, who became the first woman to lead a Samsung affiliate as CEO of Hotel Shilla Co. Together, these trailblazers represent a new era for women in leadership, but their success stories also highlight the rarity of such breakthroughs.
Why Kim’s appointment matters
Kim’s role as the chief executive of Bioepis is more than a personal achievement; it is a symbolic moment for South Korea, a nation grappling with gender inequality, demographic challenges, and a labour market that often marginalises women. South Korea’s fertility rate of 0.72 — the lowest globally — reflects women’s reluctance to marry and have children, driven by economic pressures and cultural expectations. The government has spent $286 billion since 2006 on policies to encourage higher birth rates, but without structural changes in gender roles, these efforts have had limited success.
As Samsung looks to leverage Kim’s expertise to drive innovation in biopharmaceuticals, her leadership also sends a powerful message: gender equality is not just a social imperative but a strategic advantage. Her journey, from Johns Hopkins to the C-suite of one of the world’s most influential conglomerates, exemplifies the transformative potential of inclusive leadership.
For South Korea, closing the gender gap is not just a matter of fairness but an economic necessity. And for Samsung, appointing Kim Kyung-Ah as CEO could mark the beginning of a broader shift toward a more equitable corporate culture — one where talent, not tradition, dictates who leads.