Lee Jay-hyun

Early Life

Lee Jay-hyun was born in Seoul, South Korea, on March 19, 1960. He is the eldest grandson of Lee Byung-chull, the founder of Samsung Group. His father, Lee Maeng-hee, was the eldest son of Lee Byung-chull. Lee attended Kyungbock High School and later graduated from Korea University with a law degree.

Rise to Success

Lee began his career at Citibank in 1983. In 1985, he joined CheilJedang, the family business, at the request of his grandfather. He briefly held positions at Samsung Electronics before taking over the helm of CJ Group in the late 1990s after its spin-off from Samsung Group. Under his leadership, CJ Group transformed into South Korea's 13th-largest conglomerate, expanding into food and beverage, entertainment, media, and biotechnology sectors.

Key Business Strategies

Lee spearheaded the diversification and expansion of CJ Group. He focused on strategic mergers and acquisitions, as well as organizational restructuring to strengthen the company's position in various sectors. He also launched and promoted the "bibigo" brand, which has become a global Korean cuisine brand. Lee's leadership was also marked by a focus on innovation and adapting to market trends.

Philanthropy

Lee Jay-hyun established the CJ Donors Camp in 2005 and the CJ Culture Foundation in 2006. He has contributed to academia through the Lee Family Scholarship at Columbia College.