CEOs of Korea’s major biotech companies are directly involving in marketing activities to broaden their presence in overseas markets.

Celltrion Chairman Seo Jung-jin, Samsung BioLogics CEO Kim Tae-han, SillaJen CEO Moon Eun-sang, MedPacto CEO Kim Seong-jin, and Theragen Etex Bio Institute CEO Hwang Tae-soon have recently shown up at major conferences and events overseas to give presentations, promoting their products and companies.

Celltrion Chairman Seo engages in global sales directly to promote his biotech firm, which is better known overseas than in Korea for biosimilars such as Remsima.

Seo has already visited more than 10 countries including the U.K., France, Germany, and Spain early this year.

In each country, he met key partner firms, medical staffs at large hospitals, and government officials to gauge the demand for biosimilar products.

“Chairman Seo is continuing his efforts to develop overseas markets. Major shareholders know about him, too. Seo checks every demand and marketing needs in each country, one by one. Celltrion staffs raise their thumbs when they talk about their chairman,” an official at Celltrion said.

Samsung BioLogics CEO Kim has been attending various conferences as a key speaker.

Earlier this year, Kim was on the podium at the J.P. Morgan’s healthcare conference, the biggest event in the global healthcare sector, for the second consecutive year.

It was the first time that a Korean CEO gave a presentation at the “main track” twice consecutively, according to the company. Kim vigorously met local partner companies and media at the conference.

SillaJen CEO Moon’s global business moves are also drawing attention.

In recent months, Moon frequently traveled between continents from the U.S. and the U.K. due to the J.P. Morgan’s conference, BIO International Convention USA, and the International Oncolytic Virus Conference in Oxford, the U.K.

Attending the U.K. event recently, Moon introduced SillaJen’s pipelines and study results on Pexa-Vec, genetically-engineered oncolytic virus.

Kim Seong-jin, CEO of MedPacto, which is a subsidiary of Theragen Etex, was on a busy schedule frequently flying to Japan and the U.S. in March, sources said.

Being fluent in English and Japanese, Kim was having meetings with local firms and briefing sessions in the two countries.

Theragen Etex Bio Institute CEO Hwang is attending meetings with partner firms overseas. Hwang is reportedly concentrating on building partnerships with multinational companies in Japan, China, the Middle East, and the U.S.

With Kim and Hwang’s active biz moves, Theragen Etex was able to sign many deals in 59 countries, sources said.

“As CEOs have a high level of understanding in pipelines and represent their companies, more and more biotech CEOs are directly managing the global business,” said an official at a biotech firm.