- Each year, Samsung C&T recognizes the hard work and leadership of its employees with a series of awards, including the “Best T&I Employee” Award in the Trading and Investment Group
- We interviewed this year’s winner, Jungwan Kim, to discuss her extraordinary leadership as head of the Raw & Refined Metals Group, her dedicated team, and overcoming challenges in the metal business
Samsung C&T’s Annual Employee Awards
March 2025 marked the celebration of Samsung C&T’s 87th Foundation Day. During the celebrations, outstanding employees were recognized in a series of awards, including the Best T&I Employee Award, the Pioneering Spirit Award, and the Award of Excellence.
This year’s prestigious Best T&I Employee Award — given to one recipient in the Seoul head office and one recipient working in an overseas office — was awarded to Jungwan Kim, head of the Raw & Refined Metals Group in the Samsung C&T office in Seoul. Kim was recognized for her outstanding contributions to metal sales, a field considered highly challenging in today’s challenging business environment.
Kim contributed to boosting the profitability of the metal business by securing long-term purchase and sales agreements, expanding partnerships worldwide. Furthermore, she implemented meticulous risk management practices to build a solid foundation for sustainable business growth.
We sat down with Jungwan Kim to learn more about the challenges she faces in her work, the leadership that has contributed to business growth, and how her mentorship has supported colleagues—ultimately earning her this well-deserved recognition.
Boosting Team Morale
Jungwan Kim was initially appointed head of the Concentrate Group in 2021. Three years into her role as head of the Raw and Refined Metals Group, she has received one of the company’s highest honors for employees—the Best T&I Employee Award. Despite the significance of this achievement, she says it came as a complete surprise.
“I honestly never expected to win this award. I mentioned this at the ceremony, too, but I don’t see this as something I earned alone. It’s the result of teamwork—our team in Seoul and overseas teams contributed to our recent growth. This award belongs to everyone in the Raw and Refined Metals Group.”
One of Kim’s top priorities when starting her leadership role was to boost team morale. At the time, the metal business was rapidly expanding, but it still had its challenges and complexities, with deals taking six months or more to close. This caused junior team members with less experience to feel overwhelmed, bringing a palpable sense of tension and stress to the team.
“With the businesses facing ups and downs in the past, the high employee turnover meant there weren’t enough experienced seniors to guide junior colleagues. I tried to be someone they could rely on, not just in terms of work but personally too. I focused on creating an open and supportive team culture where people help and learn from each other.”
Kim also made a point to celebrate achievements openly and boost confidence within the team by instilling a strong sense of purpose. Thanks to these efforts, many of those junior members have grown into key leaders who continue contributing to impressive business growth.
Strengthening Global Competitiveness
Kim believes that strengthening trust and credibility is essential to succeeding in global trading. The team understands the importance of having valuable face-to-face time with clients and building strong relationships. That’s why the team is constantly on the move—there’s hardly a corner of the world they haven’t visited.
“A lot of our electrolytic copper cathode purchases come from producers in Africa, and that often means traveling to remote inland areas that are difficult to reach. Despite the challenges, we make a point to visit regularly, which producers really appreciate. That kind of face-to-face interaction builds real trust with our partners and sets us apart.”
This willingness to go the extra mile has helped Kim and her team close tough deals. While the team may still be in a growth phase compared to other global trading companies, Kim believes her team’s dedication is paving the way for more resources to be injected into the metal business by showing its strong potential.
Reducing Risk
The metal business is known for its high risk and price volatility—so much so that many trading companies in Korea have exited the sector altogether. But Kim saw opportunity where others saw risk to achieve impressive growth.
“The metal business requires smart and capable people. Samsung C&T’s strong reputation attracts great talent, and our training programs help them grow. The company’s financial strength allows us to manage high raw material costs. Highly detailed business management is also crucial in the metal business—we are lucky to have amazing internal support teams to help us maintain a high standard of business management.”
Transparent Communication
In the metal business, small mistakes can snowball into major losses. Kim fosters a culture of transparency, where mistakes are shared promptly and without fear as issues arise, stating, “When someone reports a mistake, I always say, ‘Thank you for telling me.’ Then we figure out how to fix it and ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Thanks to this open and supportive environment, the Raw & Refined Metals Group—once at risk of closing due to fluctuating performance—has been on a stable growth path since 2021.
Leading the Market with Trust
In the face of a challenging business climate, Kim’s leadership and vision have helped demonstrate the potential of the metal business. Looking ahead, she’s focused on expanding into the fast-growing copper industry, which is now often called “the oil of the future” due to its critical role in emerging technologies.
“Copper is essential for future industries like AI and electric vehicles and poses key challenges to the metal business. The environment is becoming tougher as competition intensifies—including from traditional crude oil traders entering the copper market. But that also means plenty of meaningful opportunities are ahead, which we are actively pursuing.”
Kim also has a personal goal: to set an example for her junior colleagues and become the kind of leader who inspired and supported her throughout her career.
“Confidence comes from having mentors that believe in you and count on you. I have had the privilege of learning from many great people, and now I want to be that kind of mentor to our team.”
Having endured the ups and downs of the metal business since 2006, Kim reflects on this journey and her team’s business growth. She emphasizes that the true protagonists of the team’s success are the team members themselves and that they will continue to harness meaningful business opportunities in the future.
“Our work in the Raw & Refined Metals Group is challenging but incredibly rewarding and full of growth potential. And it’s the people—our team, overseas partners, and global colleagues—who will lead this business into the future. I believe in them, and I am counting on them.”
The Power of “Together”
Even in the face of adversity, Jungwan Kim’s passion and perseverance have driven the Raw & Refined Metals Group to new heights. Her story reflects the unshakable determination of a true trader. And perhaps this is the greatest strength behind the team’s remarkable growth—the power of “together.” We look forward to seeing how Kim and her team continue to make their mark on the global stage.
