NHN announced on June 11 that it has appointed Yang Cheol-woong as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The company aims to respond to the growing importance of artificial intelligence (AI) native transformation and future technological competitiveness by accelerating innovation at the group level.
According to NHN, Yang, who holds a Ph.D. in computer science from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), is a technology expert with over 20 years of experience in internet infrastructure, traffic optimization, networking, security, and cloud computing. He joined NHN Cloud in 2022 and has led security technology research and platform enhancement as the head of the Security Development Lab.
As CTO, Yang plans to enhance the organization's execution speed through innovative development utilizing AI. He will also systematize the technology roadmap and research and development direction to boost the group's technological competitiveness. Yang is expected to lead the expansion of AI utilization and technological collaboration across the group while focusing on advancing AI transformation (AX).
Given his expertise in cloud security, Yang is anticipated to contribute to building data security infrastructure and establishing a reliable AX environment during the implementation of advanced AI technologies.
During a town hall meeting with NHN employees on June 10, Yang identified "speed and direction" as key themes for technology organizations in the AI era. He emphasized that enhancing productivity and execution through AI will make it increasingly important to focus on strategic choices regarding the technology roadmap and business direction.
"AI is becoming more than just a tool; it is becoming a colleague we work with," Yang said. "While moving quickly is important, it is equally crucial to move in the right direction. We will connect and create synergies in the group's technological capabilities based on our technology strategy and execution power."
NHN has established a C-level leadership structure led by CEO Jeong Woo-jin, along with Yang Cheol-woong as CTO, Ahn Hyun-sik as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Hwang Sun-young as Chief Legal Officer (CLO), Lee Seung-chan as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), and Kim Sang-ho as Chief Gaming Officer (CGO) representing the gaming division.
The company plans to strengthen its position as a technology firm by expanding joint research and development based on its leadership structure and enhancing its foundation for future growth. It is expected to create synergies across various business sectors, including gaming, payments, and commerce.
An NHN representative stated, "Based on this, we plan to strengthen our mid- to long-term technology strategy to respond to the AX era and solidify our competitiveness and position as a technology company."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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