Kakao Games officially appointed Kim Tae-hwan and Lee Si-woo as its new joint CEOs on the 22nd, following an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders and board approval. With this fresh leadership at the helm and financial stabilisation now complete, Kakao Games is shifting gears to accelerate its expansion.

New CEO Kim Tae-hwan is something of a legendary 'deal maker' in the industry, having cut his teeth at Nexon and Line Games. His CV reads like a roadmap of global strategy: he has served as Nexon Korea’s Head of Strategic Planning, Executive Director of Planning and Coordination, and Vice President, as well as CBDO at Nexon Japan, VP at Nexon America, and CSO at Line Games.

During his time at Nexon, he was the driving force behind numerous major M&A deals, successfully navigating the murky waters of post-merger integration (PMI). At Kakao Games, he will be pulling the strings on long-term business strategy, global expansion, and all things M&A and strategic investment.

His partner in crime, Lee Si-woo, has been part of the furniture since Kakao Games’ inception in 2015. Starting as Head of the Mobile Business Division and rising to CBO, he has been the architect behind the company’s PC and mobile portfolio. He played a pivotal role in elevating the firm to the big leagues by publishing heavy hitters like Odin: Valhalla Rising and a string of successful subculture titles.

Leveraging this operational expertise, he will now oversee the entire gamut of the gaming business, from live service operations to new title publishing and IP portfolio management, all with the aim of sharpening the company's competitive edge.

Kakao Games has finished trimming the fat by shedding non-core assets and tidying up its balance sheet. Now, bolstered by financial health secured through strategic investments, they are plotting a course for growth. Expect an aggressive push into equity investments and acquisitions of promising domestic and international developers to beef up their IP and internal development capabilities.

“In such a cutthroat global market, aggressive investment and innovation are non-negotiable,” Kim remarked. “I am committed to using our capital strength to ensure Kakao Games grows at pace on the global stage.”

Lee added, “We will focus our efforts on delivering the unique, differentiated IP that Kakao Games is known for, built upon our proven track record in live services and an exciting pipeline of new projects.”

The duo stated, “Our ultimate goal is to drive growth aggressively and ensure that translates directly into corporate value. We aim to build a company that meets the expectations of both shareholders and users through transparent market communication.”