Philip Morris Korea announced Wednesday the appointment of Lee Hong-suk as its new managing director, effective May 1.
Currently serving as the head of smoke-free products, Lee Hong-suk brings over two decades of invaluable experience across global markets within Philip Morris International. Since joining the company in 1999, he has excelled in various key commercial and strategic leadership positions.
His extensive international career includes significant tenures in dynamic markets such as Singapore and Hong Kong. In 2018, he notably served as the General Manager of Philip Morris Taiwan, where he successfully spearheaded substantial business growth, strategic organizational transformation, and innovative new commercial initiatives.
Upon his return to Korea in 2021, Lee took charge of commercial operations before leading the pivotal smoke-free products division. In this role, he significantly expanded the company’s reduced-risk product portfolio and robustly strengthened its market presence across Korea.
“In a market as important as South Korea, strong and experienced leadership is essential,” said Vassilis Gkatzelis, president of the East & Southeast Asia, Pacific and Global Travel Retail region at Philip Morris International. “Lee has a proven track record of driving growth and a deep understanding of the local market.”
Lee stated that Philip Morris Korea will continue to advance its smoke-free strategy through innovation.
“We will expand better alternatives for adult smokers while strengthening our presence in Korea,” he said. “We also plan to deepen engagement with the government, public health experts and other stakeholders to support Korea’s broader public health goals.”
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