Jang In-hwa

Jang In-hwa leads POSCO Holdings as Chairman and CEO, overseeing a strategic transformation that aims to evolve South Korea's largest steelmaker into a diversified materials company positioned for the energy transition. POSCO was founded in 1968 with Japanese reparations funding and grew into one of the world's most efficient and technologically advanced steelmakers, with its flagship Pohang and Gwangyang steelworks producing over 40 million tonnes annually. The transformation to a holding company structure reflects POSCO's ambitious diversification beyond steel: POSCO Future M (battery cathode and anode materials), lithium mining and processing (the company is developing lithium resources in Argentina, investing in brine extraction technology, and building lithium hydroxide processing plants), nickel smelting (through investments in Indonesian nickel processing), and green hydrogen production. POSCO aims to become a comprehensive supplier of materials for the energy transition. However, steel remains the primary revenue and profit contributor. POSCO faces the challenge of managing a cyclical, capital-intensive steel business while investing aggressively in higher-growth but unproven new materials businesses. Key stock drivers include global steel prices and demand, lithium and nickel price trends, battery materials subsidiary performance, POSCO steel production volumes and margins, Chinese steel production and exports, energy transition materials investment execution, and South Korean corporate governance reform impact.