Do you know Bang Il-suk (42-year-old), who is the youngest and first Korean CEO in Olympus? He made Korea Olympus to well-known company within 1 years, and 13 times development in China within 13 months. Now he is managing 54 countries, account for 12.9% of whole world.
1.How were your school-days in CAU?
There was little university culture like nowadays, so I am envious of my juniors. When I studied in CAU, M.T and drinking party were the most common play culture.
However I can't forget the taste of makkolli (raw rice wine), drunk in the school with clothes which were smudged by tear-gas. At that time, it was ordinary to drink in the open air: lawn, playground and lodging. Besides, there were many days of drinking all night while talking about political matters.
Moreover, remembering the passion and youth makes me miss my school-days.
2.Why did you resign from Samsung, the company where you worked for 14 years, and establish Olympus?
When I worked as a Samsung Electronic Company's staff for Japan in the late 90's, I frequently contacted Japanese Olympus. Then my report about the present condition and view of digital cameras in Korea made a connection with Olympus. After that, Olympus suggested me to become the first Korea corporate president. As a result, I resigned from Samsung, I worked for 14 years, because I was sure that Olympus will help Korea to find a larger market abroad with the IT infra of Korea.
However, I wanted to make Korea Olympus not just a simple selling company like other foreign branch companies, but a Korean technique export company. Therefore, I demanded an unprecedented two terms and conditions to Olympus. The terms and conditions were as follows.
1)I should take all control of the company: finance, financial affair, employment, etc.
2)When Korea Olympus makes a profit, all of it should be reinvested in Korea.
To realize our aims, we established a subsidiary company ODNK (Olympus Digital Network Korea). Now ODNK has been developing techniques for Korea type, and exporting more than one hundred million dollars in 2 years.
When Korea Olympus was established in 2000, it began with five staff members in a small office. As a belt-tightening policy, we always tried to save money, and one person was in charge of three or four duties. Likewise, we did our best to work day and night. Then everyone was CEO and staff, but I strove to show definite goals and give a motive to my staff.
These days, Korea Olympus has an office, twenty times larger than the first office and the number of employees is more than past fifty times. Still it is my duty to give continual mission and vision to employees with planning for the future together.
4.How was it possible for you to make Olympus become a brand leader in only one year in Korea and 13 times growth in only 10 months in China?
Digital camera users in Korea consider seriously about the culture of digital cameras as much as its functions. Namely, it is necessary to emphasize mutual interchanging like 'I would like to have such an experience' not one-sided message about the product. Thus Olympus's represented emotional marketing, 'My digital story' is considered a successful project.
Besides, we have managed a more flexible process of market research and open-up on-line markets. Also, a unique marketing campaign for friendly image, like 'door to door service' made the synergy effect.
Similarly we are approaching China with the culture of digital camera as the early Korea market. Moreover, I am sure experiences in Korea helped to achieve the rapid growth in China.
I have pursued '3S management philosophies'. 3S mean : Slim, Speed, Standard
Slim management means to achieve the highest productivity by making one employee to a specialist. Namely, it is very important to raise high-quality human resources.
Speed management means that the system of an organization can make speedy decisions by absolute responsibility for one's work. Speedy decision-making is also possible with the simplification of the organization. As a result, we couldn't have chief directors before last year. Before that, we had only one director in each team. These managed policies allow me to make speedy managed judgement without superfluous work.
Standard means that all management must become clear. Therefore, we opened all our managed marks to the public and believed that a clear and fair company can become the best enterprise. Moreover, we search to become a transparent organization.
6.What would you like to attempt in the technical and design part?
Nowadays design and GUI (Graphic User Interface) have become a main competitive edge. Because most companies are developing technical parts in digital camera for making a camera, everyone wants it.
Furthermore, we have the goals to make a better value of the brand, and launch a digital camera which integrates lots of functions for the age of ubiquitous.
This year, we plan to make more business in the MP3 part, and launch the integrated product, made up by digital camera and MP3.
Saying that again, we will try to be a leading brand of
'Opto Phono convergence (united image and sound)'.
7.Which parts are you most careful about the management in 54 countries (12.9% of whole world)?
The Asia block was established in HongKong for unity of branding, marketing and circulation of Olympus in Asia and the Middle East area on April 1, 2004. I started an offensive marketing method, was gotten by the success in Korea and China.
As an arbitrator, strategist and a person of practical mind, I could achieve success in branding in 10 months in China. Like this, I am applying this kind of marketing to the whole world market.
I particular, Asia s considered as a market that has potential energy of growth, and we think that our earnings in Asia will be more than 30% of the whole earnings in Olympus within 3 years. Thereupon, I will produce the synergy from the unity of branding that is dispersed now in Asia, and make an elevation of the Olympus M/S, brand recognition in Asia.
8.Would you like to give some message to CAU students ?
I want to say "Try and try to be a real specialist" I think that a specialist should be able to not only find out a problem, but also to improve and change it. In fact, the one who doesn't have a power of execution is dissatisfied with many things. If your work ended in a failure for this reason, you are an amateur. If a young person adds a specialist mentality to sound thinking about problem, he can start life in society one step ahead of other people.
By Jung Ri-na
News reporter