Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) has announced Donghyeon Kim as CEO, succeeding Ben Hudson.
Kim most recently served as head of Hanwha Aerospace’s Land Systems Business Group, which is responsible for Hanwha Aerospace’s full land defence portfolio.
“We are here to deliver these programs on schedule, build R&D capability and capacity in Australia, and make H-ACE a manufacturing and MRO&U (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and Upgrade) centre that the local industry and economy benefit from,” Kim stated.
“Australia is well placed to become a defence export base, not simply a customer. My role is to lay the foundation and grow the Australian leadership team that will take this company forward. That is what success looks like for HDA.”
Kim has spent almost 30 years at Hanwha Aerospace, leading its R&D centre, running its production operations, and heading the Land Systems Business Group, where the division grew substantially under his watch.
His experience in research, production, and business growth maps directly onto HDA’s needs. He will be responsible for overseeing program delivery to ensure the continued smooth delivery of both the Huntsman and Redback fleets to the Commonwealth of Australia.
Kim will oversee the Hanwha Armoured vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) in Geelong, continue to build the local supply chain, and accelerate technology transfer to Australia.
Kim has worked on numerous international programs including the K9 for Poland, Romania, Norway, Finland and India. He brings established relationships across the company’s engineering, production, and supply chain functions.
He will focus on building the operational foundations for HDA’s long-term growth, with a clear commitment to developing and transitioning to Australian leadership as the company’s programs mature and expand.
Source: https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/hanwha-appoints-new-ceo