Jorma Ollila
Executive Chairman
Yong Sung Kim
Chairman APAC
As CEO of a large Korean manufacturing company for more than a decade, I found I was always puzzled by one question. Even though I knew exactly how much I spent on innovation and R&D each year, I was always asking myself, “Do I know the actual yield being gained from this spending?” Even though my technology guys would tell me that everything was on the right track, even with some delays, I always wondered if this was the best way for us to be developing new technologies. In other words, innovation was a black box for me, making me eager to understand it and to find better ways to improve effectiveness of innovation.
When I heard about the Xinova business model – that these innovation problems can be solved through its global network, not only for developing technologies but also for successful commercialization, I was fascinated by the notion and the concrete examples. I also felt that my previous career as a management consultant, venture capitalist, and CEO would be helpful in creating stronger Xinova. Now I am in charge of the Korean operation, trying hard to make Xinova’s proposition come true, which is also very meaningful to many Korean companies with relatively scarce resources.