Event Details

Retail industry is among the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic worldwide, but in Korea it has been doing exceptionally well with retail sales rising year-on-year for the last three months in a row. E-commerce is the main driver of the growth and there is a surge in demand for particular categories of goods. The way in which people are consuming products and services is also changing rapidly exacerbated by the development of digital technologies that is only accelerating.


What are the implications of the covid-19 to the retail industry in Korea and will the retail sales continue to keep up in this challenging environment? How does the customer behavior change in the times of pandemic and will this stay relevant after the crisis is over? What are the opportunities for companies operating under the new normal of social distancing measures?


Join us on September 24 at 8:00am-9:15am as we discuss the latest consumer trends in Korea and explore the future of the retail industry.


Please note that this event is limited to senior-level executives and per invitation only. If you are not an existing member of The Economist Corporate Network, but would like to learn how you can attend our events, please contact us.

Speakers

  • Fredrik Johansson (Country Retail Manager at IKEA Korea)

    Fredrik Johansson

    Country Retail Manager at IKEA Korea

    Johansson first joined IKEA in 1987 as a part-time co-worker at the IKEA store in Älmhult, Sweden. After earning his Master’s degree at Linköping University in Sweden, he gained extensive exposure in the global home furnishing industry in various positions within IKEA in several countries spanning from Asia to Europe including Managing Director of IKEA Components.

    He moved to IKEA Retail in 2010, where he extended his experience as Deputy Store Manager and Store Manager for XuHui and Daxing stores in China. He was also the Deputy Country Manager for IKEA France for almost 3 years before joining IKEA Korea in 2017 as Deputy Country Manager. In 2019 he became IKEA Korea Country Retail Manager.

    As a part of his master's studies, Fredrik spent half a year in 1995 in Seoul National University.

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  • Takuji Okubo (Director, Corporate Network, North Asia of The Economist Corporate Network)

    Takuji Okubo

    Director, Corporate Network, North Asia of The Economist Corporate Network

    Takuji Okubo is the North Asia Director of The Economist Corporate Network, managing the Networks in Japan and in South Korea.

    Prior to joining The Economist Group, Takuji was the Managing Director and Chief Economist at Japan Macro Advisors, serving global fortune 500 companies and financial institutions in Japan and abroad. In his past career, Takuji was a Chief Economist at Societe Generale, in charge of Japan and of South Korea, and a senior economist at Merrill Lynch and at Goldman Sachs. Outside his role at ECN, Takuji also serves as a non-executive director at Japan Risk Forum, an association of Chief Risk Officers among Japanese financial institutions.

    Takuji holds B.A in Economics from Tokyo University and while at the university he was a recipient of prestigious INOUE scholarship. He holds MBA from INSEAD and Msc. In Economics from UPF in Barcelona. Apart from work, he enjoys motor-cycling, scuba-diving, cooking as well as worrying about the future of the Japanese economy.

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