Early Life
Suh Kyung-bae was born in South Korea in 1963. He received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Yonsei University and an MBA from Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. He is the second son among six children of Suh Sung-whan, the founder of Amorepacific.
Rise to Success
Suh inherited Amorepacific Corporation from his father in 1997. Under his leadership, the company experienced significant global expansion and became one of the world's most innovative companies. He has been instrumental in transforming the initially domestic-focused firm into a cosmetics powerhouse in Asia. Suh has been lauded for defying Korea's reliance on electronics and information technology, with AmorePacific demonstrating that its beauty products can also contribute to improving the nation's brand competitiveness. In 2006, he received the Légion d'honneur from the French government. In 2015, he was selected as "Businessman of the Year" by Forbes Asia Magazine. Furthermore, in 2017, he was ranked 20th in the world and 2nd in Asia as Best-Performing CEOs by Harvard Business Review and INSEAD Business School.
Key Business Strategies
Suh focused on expanding Amorepacific's global footprint by leveraging the increasing interest in Korean beauty and culture. The company launched several successful brands, including Sulwhasoo, Laneige, and Innisfree. He has also emphasized innovation, reinvesting in R&D. AmorePacific's cushion technology revolutionized the makeup habits of South Korean women. Furthermore, the company is focused on sustainability and has set goals to become a global leader in beauty and wellness, including increasing overseas sales and strengthening its premium skincare sector. He has established a local office in Chartres, France, and opened the first overseas branch in China in 1992 to expand globally.
Philanthropy
Suh is also involved in philanthropy. In 2016, he founded the Suh Kyung-bae Science Foundation to support basic scientific research. He has also awarded charitable contributions to youth and women entrepreneurs.
