Previously, he worked at Korea International Cooperation Agency, where he managed economic development projects in various industries and supported startups in Asia and Africa. He previously worked at Samsung’s marketing agency, Cheil Worldwide, implementing consulting projects and social campaigns for private companies and public entities. Kihyon produced radio programs on human rights at Open Radio for North Korea and worked as a journalist in North Korea for the Unification Ministry. He is passionate about incorporating behavioral insights into a sustainable business and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Marketing from Hanyang University. Kihyon holds a master’s degree in Development from the Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management, and a bachelor’s degree in Business and Marketing from Korea University.

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS & HONORS
2019 The Asia Foundation Development Fellow, The Asia Foundation (2019)

2014 Plaque of Appreciation (for Crime Prevention Social Campaign of Cheil), Busan Metropolitan Police

2009 Certificate of Merit (for service to the general), Korea Army Signal School 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Business, Government & NGO Consulting 2019~present

▪ Value.Able: Branding, Marketing

▪ Global Green Growth Institute (Indonesia): Consultancy on concept note development for Green Climate Fund (GCF)

▪ Korea Radio Promotion Association: Media development for Bhutan Broadcasting Service

▪ KOA: Behavior change app and crowdfunding project

▪ The Asia Foundation: “Pre-feasibility study on e-commerce market opportunities for MSMEs in South Korea”

▪ Social Solidarity Bank: Marketing for women micro entrepreneurs

KOREA INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY (KOICA)                 2015-2019

Private Sector Development & Global Value Chains

▪ Inclusive business program: planning, project management, monitoring & evaluation

▪ Climate change adaptation projects: portfolio of 10 projects worth $ 10 billion on in Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, Vietnam, Mongolia, and Cambodia

▪ Global value-chain projects: portfolio of 4 projects worth $ 4 billion in Bangladesh, China, Kenya, and Tanzania

▪ Private sector development projects: portfolio of 9 projects worth $ 9 billion

▪ Planned post-disaster (earthquake) recovery program in Nepal (2015, $ 10 million)

Start-up Incubation, Acceleration & Investment

▪ Business model planning, project management, marketing strategy & investment facilitation ($10 mil)

▪ Worked with International organizations: UN, World Bank, IDB, USAID and ausAID

Partnership

▪ Coordination: Co-financing projects, MOUs, and events with corporations, CSOs, Intl’ organization and academia

▪ Communication and engagement: managed ‘Development Alliance Korea’ a network of about 200 development organizations

▪ Planning and management of capacity building and knowledge sharing programs (about 2,000 participants) 

CHEIL (affiliated with Samsung Group)                              2013-2015

▪   Strategic task force in no.1 marketing consulting agency in Korea: research on corporate social responsibility, social campaigns & crime prevention campaigns

KOREA-TRADE-INVESTMENT PROMOTION AGENCY, Seoul, Korea             2013

▪   Design and branding support for Korean SMEs

▪   Cooperated with UN-WIPO: local product branding 

E-LAND WORLD, Shanghai, China                                                       2011

▪   Market research in Fashion market in China

OPEN RADION FOR NORTH KOREA                                                                 2010

▪   Producing Radio program on North Korea’s human rights issues based on UN Human Right Declaration (Funded by the EU)   

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS                                                                          2007

▪   Worked in EU division   

REPUBLIC OF KOREA ARMY                                                                                2007-2009

▪   Military Interpreter, Secretary for Major General, Korea Army Signal School

LANGUAGE & SKILLS

CERTIFICATE Introduction to Behavioral Science in Public Policy (The Workd Bank)

LANGUAGE          Korean, English, Chinese

SKILLS                  SPSS statistics, Smart-PLS, Jamovi, Adobe Creative Suites, MS office