Cornerstone International Group Opens Office in Seoul
June 20, 2025 – Cornerstone International Group, a global executive search and leadership development firm, has opened a new office in Seoul. “The launch of our Seoul office is a strategic milestone in Cornerstone’s global journey,” said Simon Wan, chairman and CEO at Cornerstone. “South Korea is a thriving hub of innovation and global business. We are here to help Korean companies and multinationals tap into the leadership and talent strategies they need to succeed in today’s fast-changing world.”
“The Seoul office exemplifies Cornerstone’s global model: combining deep local insight with international best practices,” the firm said. “Korean businesses will now have access to the firm’s integrated talent platform, offering executive search, leadership development, and talent management services that are agile, culturally relevant, and globally competitive.”
Cornerstone Korea is led by a team with decades of experience in executive search and leadership consulting. The team is committed to building long-term partnerships and playing an active role in Korea’s business community through industry collaboration, media engagement, and thought leadership.
“We’re excited to bring Cornerstone’s global expertise to Korea at a time when many Korean companies are expanding their global footprint,” said Ennis Bae, managing partner of Cornerstone Seoul. “Our team is deeply committed to helping both Korean and multinational clients navigate the complexities of leadership, transformation, and talent development. We look forward to becoming a trusted partner to organizations shaping the future of Korea’s economy.”
Related: Cornerstone International Group Adds New Member Firm in Montreal
Mr. Bae has been engaged by major U.S., European and Korean companies to consult on high- level management and human resources issues as well as to recruit executive management talent for their Korean operations. Working predominantly with CEOs, directors and board members, he has a track record in the recruitment of senior executives in a wide scope of business sectors. Prior to establishing Cornerstone Korea / Fortis Partners, Mr. Bae was a managing consultant with MRI Worldwide Korea and was leading financial sector with three junior consultant and researchers.
Executive Search: Challenges, Trends, and Hopes for a Hiring Resurgence in 2025
For many search firms in almost all industry segments, 2024 has been a tough year. There are many reasons for the recent downturn, and some firms have experienced a dip in revenues for even longer, according to Tim Tolan, founder, chairman, and managing partner of The Tolan Group. “Lots of changes are on the horizon for 2025 on the hiring front, and search firms are waiting with bated breath while hiring decisions are on hold, and draft fee agreements are (still) sitting in DocuSign waiting to be signed,” he said. “Decisions are dragging, as are active search engagements, as hiring managers and leaders struggle to make hiring decisions in the environment, we are all trying to navigate.”
In the Hunt Scanlon 2024 Executive Recruiting State of the Industry Report, the numbers reflected a double-digit downturn in demand for executive recruiting, with the private equity sector being the most affected. “We’ve seen and experienced that firsthand, but we feel positive changes are on the horizon,” Mr. Tolan said.
Seoul is the business and financial hub of South Korea. Although it accounts for only 0.6 percent of the nation’s land area, more than half of South Korea’s bank deposits were held in the city last year, according to Forglobal, a networking website. The traditional, labor-intensive manufacturing industries have been continuously replaced by information technology, electronics and assembly-type of industries, however, food and beverage production, as well as printing and publishing remained among the core industries, said Forglobal. Major manufacturers are headquartered in the city, including Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Kia and SK.
Cornerstone International Group provides executive search and leadership development services to a global roster of clients. Both before (with psychometric assessment) and after (onboarding) its search process, the firm looks to ensure the highest possible chance of success in filling talent needs, the firm said. Cornerstone has 66 experienced member firms in both developed and emerging markets worldwide.
Related: Cornerstone International Group Names President
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
