Mirae Asset Securities Chairman Choi Hyun-man was named person of the year by the Korea Exchange, Korea’s sole bourse operator, for his contribution to the local capital market, officials said Monday.

“Chairman Choi heads a leading brokerage company that helped 21 firms go public this year, including game maker Krafton, in what was the biggest initial public offering in 2021,” the Korea Exchange said.

The exchange credited its first awardee Choi for becoming the first non-family member chief to oversee a major brokerage company, calling him a man with untapped potential at Korea’s largest brokerage firm.

As vice chairman, Choi, 60, successfully handled the 2016 merger with Daewoo Securities and had since attracted new clients, making the brokerage the first Korean firm to oversee 400 trillion won ($338 billion). He was tapped as chairman two weeks ago.

Choi, a founding member of Mirae Asset Securities when it was set up in 1999, had previously served as CEO at key affiliates of Mirae Asset Financial Group, which along with brokerage provides comprehensive financial services including asset management, investment banking and life insurance.