Samsung Bioepis, a biopharmaceutical developer under Samsung Group, announced on Nov. 27 that Kim Kyung-Ah, head of its Development Division, has been appointed as the new president and chief executive officer, making her the first female CEO in the group’s history. While Lee Boo-jin, president of Hotel Shilla and sister of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, holds the title of the first female CEO within Samsung Group, Kim is the first woman to be appointed CEO from outside the founding family. Lee Young-hee, Samsung’s first female president, who recently transitioned to the Brand Strategy Committee, has not held a CEO position.
The 56-year-old Kim holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in pharmacy from Seoul National University and a Ph.D. in neurotoxicology from Johns Hopkins University. A specialist in biosimilars (biopharmaceutical replicas), Kim began her career as a researcher at a U.S. biopharmaceutical company before joining Samsung Group in 2010 as a principal scientist in biopharmaceutical development at Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT). In 2015, she joined Samsung Bioepis, where she oversaw the entire biosimilar development process, from cell cultivation and production to clinical trials and regulatory approval. Kim played a pivotal role in securing approvals for nine biosimilar products from the U.S. FDA and European authorities.
In 2021, while serving as head of the Development Division, she led the FDA approval of a new biosimilar drug during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite delays in clinical evaluations caused by the pandemic, Samsung Bioepis secured FDA approval for its ophthalmic biosimilar, Byooviz.
The company said, “As a role model for the majority of our female employees, her leadership is expected to bring new energy to the organization.” Kim shared her vision, saying, “I will continue to lead Samsung Bioepis’ innovation and growth by utilizing my expertise and integrated leadership in the biopharmaceutical field.”
