Walter Cho

Last updated
Walter Cho
Cho Won-tae
Walter Cho photo.jpg
Born (1976-01-25) 25 January 1976 (age 48)
Seoul, South Korea
Education University of Southern California
Employer Hanjin Group
Parent(s) Cho Yang-ho and Lee Myung-hee  [ ko ]
Korean name
Hangul
조원태
Hanja
趙源泰
Revised Romanization Jo Wontae
McCune–Reischauer Cho Wŏntae
Signature
Walter Cho signature.png

Cho Won-tae (born 25 January 1976), also known as Walter Cho, is a South Korean businessman. Walter Cho is the chairman and chief executive officer of Hanjin Group and Korean Air. He is a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) board of governors and chairman of the SkyTeam Alliance Board.

Contents

Early life

Cho was born in Seoul on 25 January 1976. [1] He is the son of former Hanjin Group chairman Cho Yang-ho, and the grandson of group founder Cho Choong-hoon  [ ko ]. He has two sisters: Heather Cho  [ ko ] and Emily Cho  [ ko ]. [2] [3] Cho received his early education at Marian High School in Massachusetts. [1] He attended a two-year college in the United States before transferring to Inha University in South Korea in 1998. [1] He later completed an MBA from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. [1] He received an MBA from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. [1] For his mandatory military service, he completed alternative service under the Skilled Industrial Personnel  [ ko ] program. [4]

Career

Early career

Cho joined Hanjin Group, the parent company of Korean Air, in 2003. [1] He became the vice-president of Hanjin Information Systems & Telecommunication, and then in 2004 was transferred to Korean Air, where he became the vice-manager of the planning team within the operations and strategy department. [5] He was promoted to head of the procurement department in January 2006, and then to assistant director in December of that year. [6] [7] He received a further promotion in December 2007. [8] He later became the chief operating officer of Korean Air. [2] In 2015, the aftermath of his sister Heather's resignation over the nut rage incident, he took over management responsibility for other areas of Korean Air's business which she had previously overseen, including hotels and catering, in what was widely seen as a confirmation that he would inherit control of the company. [9] He was named the company's president in January 2017. [10] Cho concurrently held a number of other posts at Hanjin Group affiliates, including Hanjin Kal, Jin Air, Uniconverse, and the aircraft ground handling company Korea Airport Service, but resigned from those positions in 2017, in a move which Korean Air stated would improve management efficiency within the company. [11]

As CEO

He became chairman and CEO of Hanjin and Korean Air in April 2019 following the death of his father. [12] Cho was elected as a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Board of Governors at the 2019 IATA General Assembly, which was organized in Seoul in June. [13] He was also elected as chairman of the Skyteam Alliance board in June 2019. [14]

In 17 December 2020, Cho received the "médaille d'honneur des affaires étrangères de la France" for his active participation for the repatriation of French citizens from South-Korea to France during the COVID-19 crises by using Korean Air. [15]

Cho has been widely recognized for successfully navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. [16] He led Korean Air to pivot to its cargo operations when passenger operations nearly came to a halt due to COVID restrictions; the airline operated cargo-only flights on passenger routes and converted some passenger jets into freighters. [17] [18] These efforts helped the airline to achieve an operating profit throughout the pandemic, and a record-high operating profit and net profit in 2021. [19] [20] Korean Air was named both 2021 Airline of the Year and 2022 Cargo Operator of the Year by Air Transport World. [21] The airline was also recognized as AirlineRatings.com's 2022 Cargo Airline of the Year and ranked fourth in their top 20 airlines. [22] [17]

Cho remained an involved leader throughout the pandemic, volunteering to join a repatriation flight to Wuhan, the epicenter of the pandemic, to support the cabin crew soon after the COVID outbreak. [23] [24] He also joined employees and executives to manually clean and disinfect an aircraft in an event to assure the public of cabin safety amid the pandemic. [23] [25]

Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kotoka International Airport</span> International airport in Accra, Ghana

Kotoka International Airport is an international airport in Accra, the capital of Ghana. The airport is operated by Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), which has its offices on the airport property. Until the upgrading of the Tamale and Kumasi airports to international standards, KIA, for a longtime, was the sole international airport in Ghana.

Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. is the flag carrier of South Korea and its largest airline based on fleet size, international destinations, and international flights. It is owned by the Hanjin Group.

Asiana Airlines Inc. is a South Korean airline headquartered in Seoul. The airline operates 90 international passenger routes, 14 domestic passenger routes and 27 cargo routes throughout Asia, Europe, and North America. In 2019, it accounted for 25% of South Korea's international aviation market and 20% of its domestic market. It maintains its international hub at Incheon International Airport and its domestic hub at Gimpo International Airport, both in Seoul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wizz Air</span> Low-cost airline of Hungary

Wizz Air, stylized as W!ZZ, is a Hungarian ultra low-cost carrier group headquartered in Budapest. The company includes the subsidiaries Wizz Air Hungary, Wizz Air Malta, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and Wizz Air UK. The airlines serve numerous cities across Europe, as well as some destinations in North Africa, the Middle East, South, and Central Asia. As of 2023, the airline group has its largest bases at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport and London Luton Airport and flies to 194 airports. Its parent company, Wizz Air Holdings plc, is registered in Jersey and is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanjin</span> South Korean conglomerate

The Hanjin Group is a South Korean chaebol. The group has various industries covered from transportation and airlines to hotels, tourism, and airport businesses, and one of the largest chaebols in Korea. The group includes Korean Air (KAL), which was acquired by the founder Cho Choong-hoon in 1969, and was the owner of Hanjin Shipping before its bankruptcy. In 2013, Hanjin Group officially switched from cross ownership to a holding company structure with the establishment of Hanjin KAL Corporation. The group is controlled by descendants of Cho Choong-hoon, and many construction chaebols are the major shareholders of Hanjin KAL.

Jeju Air Co., Ltd. (Korean: 제주항공) is the first and largest South Korean low-cost airline. It is also a founding member of the Value Alliance. In addition to air service, the group is also the owner of a Holiday Inn Express in Seoul. The airline is named for Jeju Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cho Yang-ho</span> South Korean businessman (1949–2019)

Cho Yang-ho was a South Korean businessman who was the chairman and chief executive officer of Korean Air, chairman of the Hanjin Group, and a founding member of SkyTeam alliance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanjin Shipping</span> Defunct South Korean logistics company

Hanjin Shipping Co., Ltd. was a South Korean logistics and container transport company. Hanjin Shipping was South Korea's largest container line and one of the world's top ten container carriers in terms of capacity.

Somon Air is a private airline in Tajikistan headquartered in Dushanbe and based at Dushanbe International Airport.

<i>Air Transport World</i> American aviation trade magazine

Air Transport World (ATW) is an online and print trade publication covering the global air transportation industry. It is owned by Informa and is a sister publication to Aviation Week, the Aviation Daily and MRO Digest, which are all part of the Aviation Week Network. ATW was founded in 1964 by Joseph S. Murphy, its first editor-in-chief. It is based in Washington, D.C., and publishes a news website, a daily e-newsletter, the ATW Daily News, a print magazine, editor blogs and editorials, the annual World Airline Report, numerous annual industry reports and surveys, and the annual ATW Airline Industry Achievement Awards.

The PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) is an organisation that oversees the planning and development of the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. POCOG's headquarters is located in the host city of PyeongChang with two offices in Gangneung and Seoul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nut rage incident</span> 2014 incident on a Korean Air aircraft

The nut rage incident, colloquially referred to as "nutgate", was an air rage incident that occurred on December 5, 2014, at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City onboard Korean Air Flight 086. Heather Cho, Korean Air vice president and daughter of Korean Air CEO Cho Yang-ho, dissatisfied with the way a flight attendant served nuts on the plane, ordered the aircraft to return to the gate before takeoff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Single African Air Transport Market</span> Project of African countries to create a single air transport market

The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) is a project of the African Union to create a single market for air transport in Africa. Once completely in force, the single market is supposed to allow significant freedom of air transport in Africa, advancing the AU's Agenda 2063.

<i>Justice</i> (South Korean TV series) 2019 South Korean television series

Justice is a 2019 South Korean television series starring Choi Jin-hyuk, Son Hyun-joo, Nana, and Park Sung-hoon. It is based on the web novel Justice, written by Jang Ho and illustrated by Elja. The series aired on KBS2's Wednesdays and Thursdays at 22:00 (KST) from July 17 to September 5, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">YTO Cargo Airlines</span> Chinese cargo airline

YTO Cargo Airlines Co., Ltd., operating as YTO Cargo Airlines is a Chinese cargo airline based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.

<i>Sisyphus: The Myth</i> 2021 South Korean television series

Sisyphus: The Myth is a 2021 South Korean television series starring Cho Seung-woo and Park Shin-hye. Labeled as "JTBC's 10th Anniversary Special Drama", it aired on JTBC from February 17 to April 8, 2021; each episode was released on Netflix in South Korea and internationally after its television broadcast every Wednesday and Thursday at 21:00 (KST).

Air Premia, Inc. is a South Korean airline based in Seoul. It describes itself as a "hybrid airline", providing a higher level of service than low-cost airlines while having lower operating costs than larger, full-service airlines. The airline was founded in 2017 by the former president of Jeju Air, Kim Jong-chul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merger of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines</span> South Korean government policy

The merger of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines was a policy announced by the Government of South Korea in November 2020, which resulted in Korean Air absorbing Asiana Airlines creating a dominant carrier in South Korea. The merger was completed on December 12, 2024 following approval from fair-competition authorities globally.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 [Park Kyung-hoon] (11 October 2017). "[Who Is ?] 조원태 대한항공 사장" [Who is Korean Air president Cho Won-tae?]. Business Post. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Cho Won-tae appointed president of Korean Air in wake of 'nut lady' scandal". The Loadstar. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  3. ↑ "Korean Air 'nut rage' sisters step down". BBC News . 22 April 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  4. ↑ 30대 그룹 후계자 10명 중 3명 군대 안 갔다 [Three out of 10 corporate group successors didn't go to the army]. Sisa Press. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  5. ↑ "[재계라운지] 조양호회장 아들 KAL로" [[Finance Lounge] Cho Yang-ho's son joins KAL]. Maeil Business Newspaper . 14 October 2004. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  6. ↑ "조양호 회장 장남 조원태씨, 대한항공 부장으로 승진" [President Cho Yang-ho's eldest son Cho Won-tae promoted to department head within Korean Air]. Seoul Shinmun . 4 January 2006. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  7. ↑ "조양호회장 아들 조원태 상무보로 승진" [President Cho Yang-ho's son promoted to assistant director]. Yonhap. 28 December 2006. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  8. ↑ "대한항공, 조양호 회장 아들·딸 승진" [Korean Air president Cho Yang-ho's son and daughter promoted]. Money Today. 14 December 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  9. ↑ Lee, Hyo-sik (12 January 2016). "Korean Air accelerating 3rd-generational succession". The Korea Times. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  10. ↑ "Cho Won-tae named president of Korean Air". The Korea Herald . 6 January 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  11. ↑ Won, Ho-jung (15 June 2017). "Korean Air chief to resign from all other posts". The Korea Herald . Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  12. ↑ "UPDATE 1-Korean Air parent appoints heir apparent Cho Won-tae as new chairman". Reuters. 2019-04-24. Retrieved 2019-11-28.
  13. ↑ IATA. "Membership of the Board of Governors". www.iata.org. Retrieved 2019-11-28.
  14. ↑ "SkyTeam Announces Walter Cho, Chairman and CEO of Korean Air, as Chair of its Alliance Board". www.skyteam.com. Retrieved 2019-11-28.
  15. 1 2 "Le président de Korean Air reçoit une médaille d'honneur de la France". 18 December 2020.
  16. 1 2 "Defying industry odds". Orient Aviation. 1 December 2021.
  17. 1 2 3 Thomas, Geoffrey (2022-04-24). "Korean Air wins ATW's Cargo Airline of the Year". Airline Ratings. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  18. ↑ Korean Air CEO: We converted passenger planes to cargo , retrieved 2022-09-19
  19. ↑ Bhutia, Peden Doma (2022-08-19). "Korean Air Survived the Pandemic With No Losses But Faces New Challenges". Skift. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  20. ↑ "Korean Air: An Asian champion delivers excellence in service" (PDF). Newsweek.
  21. 1 2 "Korean Air Is ATW's Airline Of The Year | Aviation Week Network". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  22. 1 2 Francesca Street. "World's best airlines for 2022, ranked by AirlineRatings.com". CNN. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  23. 1 2 Munoz, Ruthy (2021-07-02). "Airline CEOs Go Live and In-Person to Juice the Recovery". Skift. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  24. ↑ Park, Kyunghee (2020-01-31). "Virus Rescue Flight Returns to Korea With 18 Showing Fever". Bloomberg.
  25. ↑ travelnewsasia. "Korean Air Chairman Gets His Hands Dirty Disinfecting Aircraft". www.asiatraveltips.com. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  26. ↑ "ATW 2022 Cargo Operator Of The Year: Korean Air | Aviation Week Network". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  27. ↑ "Korean Air Chief awarded FlightGlobal's 2022 Air Cargo Leadership Award - Global Travel Media". eglobaltravelmedia.com.au. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  28. ↑ "2023 ATW Excellence in Leadership Recipient: Walter Cho | Aviation Week Network". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  29. ↑ upload@airport-suppliers.com (2024-08-14). "Korean Air CEO Walter Cho receives top management award from KASBA". Airport Suppliers. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.