Suh Kyung-bae
Suh Kyung-bae | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 14, 1963 South Korea |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, businessman |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Known for | Chairman and CEO of Amorepacific Corporation |
Suh Kyung-bae (; born January 14, 1963) is a billionaire entrepreneur from South Korea, currently holding the positions of chairman and CEO at Amorepacific Corporation, a prominent Korean cosmetics firm originally established by his father, Suh Sung-whan, in 1945.
He is counted among the wealthiest individuals in South Korea, with Forbes valuing his fortune at approximately US$1.1 billion as of December 2024, ranking him as the 21st richest person in the nation.
Early life
Suh was born in 1963 and completed his undergraduate studies in business administration at Yonsei University. He further obtained an MBA from the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University.
Career
Assuming leadership of Amorepacific in 1997, Suh led the company's international growth, positioning it among Forbes' list of the world's top 100 most innovative enterprises. His tenure saw significant global market expansion and strengthened brand recognition within the cosmetics sector.
In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded the French Légion d'honneur in 2006. Forbes Asia honored him as "Businessman of the Year" in 2015, while in 2017, Harvard Business Review and INSEAD ranked him as the 20th best-performing CEO worldwide and 2nd in Asia.
Suh lives in Seoul with his wife and their two children.
Non-profit work
The Suh Kyung-bae Foundation was established by Suh in 2016. Since 2017, it has provided financial support between 1.5 billion and 2.5 billion won to fourteen scientists, fostering innovation and research advancement.