CJ HealthCare has shifted back to the single CEO system led by Kang Seok-hee, the company said in a public notice Wednesday.

That means the end of the double-CEO system over the past two years, it said, adding that former co-CEO Kwak Dal-won will lead the task force for strengthening competitiveness.

“Over the past two years, CEO Kang has controlled overall management while CEO Kwak took responsibility for sales part,” the notice said. “After the managerial change to the single CEO system Kwak will be leading the company’s innovation efforts, ranging from its task force for competitiveness R&D and marketing.”

Now that the company has changed to the one-person control, it will likely focus on ensuring internal stability, sharply increasing investment into research and development, industry watchers said.

CEO Kang started his career at the pharmaceutical headquarters of Cheiljedang in 1988 and served as sales manager and marketing executive before he moved to CJ Media in 2004, playing a role in the expansion of the group’s cable channel business. He later became the CEO of CJ E&M in 2005 and that of CGV in 2009. In January 20910, he came back to the pharmaceutical industry, as the head of its pharmaceutical headquarters.

Kang, along with Kwak, has led CJ Healthcare since his comeback as its CEO in 2015. After taking office, he has invested in R&D and focused on developing innovative drugs through open innovation, in addition to expanding its turnover through importing and selling drugs developed by foreign companies.

CEO Kang is regarded as one of the key managers within the CJ Group, serving as the CEO of its various subsidiaries, including the pharma division of CJ CheilJedang, CJ Media, CJ CGV, CJ E&M, and CJ Healthcare. Because Kang has demonstrated his ability by leading the group’s core businesses, he will likely show a more aggressive management in CJ Healthcare as well, the industry watchers said.

CJ Healthcare, which was spun off from CJ CheilJedang in 2014, has actively invested in the R&D since Kang returned as its CEO in 2015. He has strengthened new drug pipelines and made efforts to develop innovative new medicines through open innovation.

Among new drugs the company is developing are antiemetic NEPA, gastroesophageal reflux disease therapy CJ-12420 and Tegoprazan, irritable colon syndrome therapy CJ-14199 and rheumarthritis therapy. It is also developing anemia therapy CJ-40001 and Dabepotein alfa biosimilar, foot-and–mouth disease therapy CJ-40010, eyes disease therapy CJ-40012, flu vaccine, and the third generation smallpox vaccine CJ-40011 in a biofield. Recently, it has beefed up research staff to develop an anticancer therapy.

The industry is watching with interests how CEO Kang will change CJ Healthcare now that he has taken the full charge.