Hana Bank CEO Lee Ho-sung speaks at his inauguration ceremony held at the bank’s headquarters in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, Thursday. (Hana Financial Group)
Hana Bank CEO Lee Ho-sung speaks at his inauguration ceremony held at the bank’s headquarters in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, Thursday. (Hana Financial Group)

Lee Ho-sung, the new chief of Hana Bank under Hana Financial Group, commenced his official term on Thursday, pledging to prioritize customer satisfaction.

“Let’s restore the customer-focused sales DNA of Hana and join the journey to become the leading bank,” Lee said in his inauguration speech during a ceremony held at the bank’s headquarters in Myeong-dong, central Seoul on Thursday.

Lee highlighted the need to expand the customer base for sustainable growth, innovation of business models to secure profit, and redefinition of a customer-focused corporate culture

On the day, Lee purchased 3,000 shares of Hana Financial Group, highlighting a willingness to boost shareholder value, Hana Financial Group explained.

On Dec. 12, Hana Financial Group announced Lee was tapped to lead the lender, following former Hana Bank CEO Lee Seung-lyul. Lee Seung-lyul stepped down to focus on his new role as vice chairman at Hana Financial Group.

Lee Ho-sung was approved as the lender's new CEO through a shareholders' meeting on Dec. 24. His term will last two years.

Lee, a seasoned sales veteran, joined Hana Bank in 1992 and has been at the forefront of the sales scene, the firm explained. He has held key leadership roles, including head of the Central Sales Group, the Yeongnam District Sales Group and the overall Sales Group.

In January 2023, Lee took the post of CEO of Hana Card. The firm explained Hana Card was able to achieve multiple feats under Lee's leadership, such as the outstanding performance of its travel-focused Travlog card, which offers a mobile currency exchange service for users.

In December, the firm announced it had gathered over 7 million Travlog users, with the total amount exchanged exceeding 3 trillion won ($2 billion).