GC Cell appoints Kim Jai-wang as Co-CEO

GC Cell said it appointed Kim Jai-wang, the former IP division head of GC Wellbeing, as its new co-CEO on Friday. Kim will officially assume the role following approval at the company’s upcoming general shareholders' and board of directors' meetings.

The company is transitioning from a single-CEO system to a co-CEO structure, with Kim leading the sales division and the incumbent co-CEO, Won Sung-yong, overseeing the research and development (R&D) division.

Kim brings over 34 years of extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Daegu University and a master’s degree in business administration from Chung-Ang University.

Kim began his career at GC Biopharma after joining through an open recruitment program. Over the years, he has held pivotal roles at GC Biopharma, GC PBM, and GC Wellbeing.

GC Cell emphasized that the appointment of Kim is a strategic move to strengthen its organizational structure and drive sustainable growth.

“By focusing on specialized leadership in sales and R&D under the co-CEO system, we aim to enhance operational efficiency and establish ourselves as a fully integrated pharmaceutical company (FIPCO) specializing in cell and gene therapies,” the company stated.

Won Sung-yong, the other co-CEO, has been with GC Cell since March 2023, when he joined as the head of the research institute. He officially became co-CEO on Dec. 4, last year. Won holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in microbiology from Kyung Hee University. He earned his Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of Texas Medical Branch and worked as a research fellow in immunology and genetics at the Scripps Research Institute in California.

Domestically, Won has held various roles, including vaccine research group leader at CJ CheilJedang’s Pharmaceutical Research Institute, head of the immunotherapy and research planning team at GC Labcell’s Cell Therapy Research Institute, investment team leader at GC Holdings, vice president at Artiva Biotherapeutics, and director of the Bio Research Center at HK inno.N.