BMCs-Best Execs-r2:AMM grid in qxp 12/24/09 9:42 AM Page 52
AWARDS
Ithasalsoweatheredadifficultyearwell.Inthethirdquarter,itposted dominantposition.“Theymadetimelyinvestmentsinareaslikesemi-con-
salesofW77.8billion,up17.9%year-on-yearandnetprofitofW26.7bil- ductorsandthedisplaybusinesscomparedtothepeergroup.Thisallowed
lion,up25.6%year-on-year. themtobenefitfromthestrengtheningoftheindustryfundamentals
Itsheadwindsincludeslowinggrowthinthehighschoolmarket,but beforetheirrivalscatchup,”saysasource.
thatismadeupforbyitsgrowingdominanceinthemiddleschooltuition OneexampleishowSamsungElectronicsisleadingthechargeinsell-
section,sayobservers. ingLEDbacklitliquidcrystaldisplaytelevisionstothemassmarket.Ithad
Analystsalsopraiseitsmanagement,whichsomesayisthebestinthe agoodfootholdinthisfastgrowingsegmentbecauseconsumersare
educationsector.“Theyhaveyoungcapablemanagersandaresavvytothe attractedtotheultra-thintelevisions.“Theyaredoingwellmanufacturing
markettrendsandhavedonewellpickingthemup,”oneheadofresearch andsellinginaspacethatgivesthemveryhighmargins,”saysthesource.
said. AnalystsalsocreditchiefexecutiveLeeYoon-wooandhisteam.“They
havebroughtthecompanytoatoppositionfromessentiallyadifficult
troughperiodandmanagedtopullaheadintheblack,”saystheheadof
MEDIUM-CAPCORPORATEOFTHEYEAR research.AsAsiamoneywenttopress,SamsungElectronicsannounced
LGHousehold&HealthCare managementchanges.ChoiGee-sungwasappointedchiefexectuive,
whileLeeremainsaschairmanoftheboard.
Thecompany’sstockpriceincreased63.4%intheyeartoDecember1,
TherewereafewrumblingsofdisagreementlastyearwhenAsiamoney endingatW737,000andoutperformingtheKospibymorethan20per-
awardedLGHousehold&Healthcare(LGH&H)thebestmid-capaward centagepoints.
forKorea.Butthisyeartherewasnosuchthing:allmarketinsiderspolled
agreeditwasthedeservingwinner.
ThisconsensuscomesbecauseLGH&Hhastickedalltherightboxes.It BESTEXECUTIVE
madesavvyacquisitions,playedtokeystrengthsandcontinuedtodeliver SukCha,chiefexecutive,LGHousehold&Healthcare
shareholdervalue.
“Itismytoppickforthewholeof2009,”saysaheadofresearchatan
internationalfirm. LGHousehold&Healthcarecoastedto Asiamoney’sbest-managedmid-
LGH&Hislaudedformakinganumberofwell-timedacquisitionsand capinSouthKoreathisyear.Marketinsidersalsoenthusiastically
partnershipsthisyear.ItinkedastrategicalliancewithDanonetodistrib- endorsedSukCha,itschiefexecutive,asthecountry’sbestcorporate
uteitsyogurtproductsandalsoacquiredDiamondPureWaterforW11.2 leader.
billion.Theseplansdovetailwithitsbidtogrowthebeverage-relatedbusi- Infact,ifthereisonecriticismofLGH&H,itisthatithasalready
ness,whichgrewsignificantlyafteritacquiredCocaColaKoreaBottlingin becomeoverlyreliantonitstirelesschiefexecutive,whojoinedthefirmin
2007. 2005.
InlateNovember,italsoacquireda90%stakeinasmallerrival,The Underhisleadership,LGH&Hhasexpandedbeyonditstraditional
FaceShop,forW420billion.ThisprovidesanaturalcomplementforLG strengthsinhigh-endcosmeticsandhouseholdproductsandbuilta
H&H,thesecondlargestcosmeticscompanyinthecountry,whichwill respectablefootholdinthebeveragesbusiness.
giveitanimmediatefootholdinthemassconsumersector. Clearlyhehasdrawnonhispreviouscorporateendeavours,having
LGH&H’sstockpricehitW300,000onNovember26,daysafterthe servedinseniorrolesatHaitaiConfectionary&Foods,P&GKoreaand
FaceShopdealwasannounced.“Thisisreflectiveoftheexpansionand SsangYongPaper.
thatmarketsaregivingthecompanygoodcreditforit,”theresearchhead “He’sfromoutside[theindustry]sohe’salwayslookingforagood
added. expansionanglethatwouldprovidesynergytotheexistingbusinesses,”
ThesemovesalsodemonstratethatLGH&Hsmartlyleveragesonits notesoneheadofresearchinSeoul.
distributionnetworkandcancreatesynergieswithitsexistingdivisions. Heisalsorecognisedforbuildingacrediblemanagementteamthat
“Theacquisitionsinthepasthavedeliveredrealvalueandhavedemon- workswithhimwell.“He’sgotgoodexecutivessurroundinghim,”adds
stratedthattheyunderstandshareholdervalue,”saysanotherheadof theanalyst.“ThepeopleI’vemetthroughcoveringthiscompanyhavespo-
research. kenhighlyofthechief.Ithinkhedeservesalotofcreditandrespectforthe
Investorslikeit,too.Itssharepricehasrisen47%intheyearto growthLGH&Hhasenjoyedin2009.”
December1,whenitclosedatW278,500,againsta39%risefortheKospi Perhapsthemosttransformationalthefirmhasmadehasbeenthe
index. purchaseofCocaColaKoreaBottlingin2007.Althoughpannedinitially,it
markedasignificantforayintothebeveragesbusinessandturnedprof-
itableayearlater.MorerecentlyChainstigatedastrategicpartnership
LARGE-CAPCORPORATEOFTHEYEAR withDanoneandacquiredDiamondPureWater.
SamsungElectronics Hehasexpandedthetraditionalcosmeticsbusinessbybuyingsmaller
rivaltheFaceShop,whichgivesitafootholdinthemass-marketsegment
aswell.
SamsungElectronicshashadarollercoaster18monthsandithascome Indifficulttimes,Chawaspreparedtoseekgrowthbyacquisitionand
outofthecrisisstrongerthanever. backhisownjudgment.“NotmanyKoreancorporatestakeonthiskindof
Inthefourthquarteroflastyear,theelectronicspowerhousepostedits riskbutyoudoneedtotakeriskstogetreturns,”notesoneanalyst.“Hehas
firsteverquarterlyloss,butnotayearlateritannouncedarecordthird- beenengineeringthecompanytotrulybecomealeaderinitsindustry.”
quarterprofitofW3.72trillion,morethantriplethatofayearago.
Thisdramaticjumphadmuchtodowiththeglobalrecoveryinelec-
tronicsdemand,butanalystsalsopayhomagetothecompany’sabilityto MALAYSIA
navigatethisdownturnwell.
“They’vedefinitelycomeoutofthedownturnbetter,strongerand SMALL-CAPCORPORATEOFTHEYEAR
morecompetitiveandit’sallshownontheirprofit,”saysoneheadof Three-AResources
researchataninternationalfirminSeoul.
Theycreditthecompanyforstartingearlyandinnovating;inother
words,neverlosingsightoftheneedtostayahead,inspiteofitsmarket ThedecisionbycommoditiesgiantWilmartobuyasubstantialstakein
52 DEC2009/JAN2010 ASIAMONEY
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