MEDIA / H-Story

– General Manager John who “exported 300 million of Korean coins to India during IMF” retired last month after 35 years of service –

Last month, since the foundation of Hyundai Corporation in 1976, one employee recorded the longest service for the company. Yet, the man of attention was not a Korean but John from India (Photo: B V John·61). He has been well known as “John the General Manager” in the company. He has worked for 35 years since 1986 as “Man of Hyundai Corporation”. Adding two years of his previous work in the Hyundai Heavy Industries, it is counted for 37 years of service as “Man of Hyundai”.

John is now residing in New Deli, India. During the written interview by the Maeil Business Newspaper on the 2nd day of the month, he said, “My DNA changed to Korean as I climbed the Mt. Bukhan with my colleagues and enjoyed dinner and Karaoke and drank Soju and Makgeoli along with Bulgoki. I feel unlimited appreciation for the company who gave me the opportunity to accumulate global experience and management knowledge while traveling throughout the world such as Europe, Middle East and Africa.” He also added, “At the time when I first started working for the company, rarely anyone in India knew about Hyundai. But now, Hyundai has become one of the most famous, powerful, and reliable brands in India.”

The general manager John remembered the most fruitful moment when he made a contract to export 300 million coins of 2 rupee (17 million dollars) to India in cooperation with The Korea Mint Corporation and Poongsan in 1997 when Korea suffered the IMF crisis. He recollected his memory, “I was preeminently happy because we won the competition with the UK, Russia, Germany and China.”

Besides this, he played a role to sell LPG storage tank of 63 billion won scale to Nigeria in 2018 and an emergency generator of 57 billion won scale to the nuclear power plant in India in cooperation with Hyundai Heavy Industries which was his former workplace.

▲ In 1994, general manager John in his 20s and his fellow adviser Dangi

Starting this year, the general manager John has continued working with Hyundai Corporation as an adviser. He has lavishly given advice in relation to the company’s future. He said, “The basis of policy “Production inside India” will continue. Korean company should form a strategic partnership with the company in India and review a long-term investment in diverse areas such as steel making, ship building, construction, telecommunication and pharmaceuticals.”

He also emphasized, “There are almost 22 dialects in India with several cultural barriers. Accordingly, the decision making and system are relatively slow. Patience is essential to do business in India.” The general manager John advised, “As a remote trading has been made and the basis of self production has become stronger, the business of trading company is being threatened. Five senses must be fully mobilized to find opportunity to start new business and distinguish the business to venture from the business not to attempt.”

February 3, 2022, Maeil Business Newspaper