EY Hanyoung Leads APAC Women Business Leaders on AI Expansion

Ernst & Young Hanyoung, a South Korean member of the international company Ernst & Young (EY), recently organized its annual event "2026 EY Asia-Pacific Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs Program Conference" for the first time in Seoul.

The conference served as a platform to enable women entrepreneurs from the Asia-Pacific region to deliberate on business growth and innovation.

"Over 100 participants, including 23 newly selected women entrepreneurs from the Asia-Pacific region and alumni of the program, attended the event, which was held over three days starting from May 18." an EY Hanyoung representative stated.

Key Highlights:

• EY Hanyoung hosts APAC conference for women entrepreneurs in Seoul
• Key themes at Seoul business summit revolved around AI transformation and global expansion
• Seoul gains recognition as a strategic Asia-Pacific hub for innovation and women’s leadership

Bokhan Lee, Head of Markets at EY Hanyoung and Leader of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award, commented, "The first hosting of this conference in Seoul demonstrates that Korea is being recognized as a strategic hub of innovation and women's leadership in the region."

The keynote at the EY conference was delivered by Hyunok Han, a 2019 alumna of the program and CEO of Clio, a South Korean cosmetics and beauty company. She outlined Clio’s business growth journey, brand development strategy, and global market expansion.

Conference attendees later visited Clio’s headquarters, where they explored the company’s operational environment, strategies, and international business model through a corporate tour.

In addition, there was considerable discussion during the conference regarding AI Transformation (AX), which constitutes one of the biggest emerging trends influencing business administration. Apart from that, discussions related to entering the South Korean market and accelerating global expansion strategies were also conducted.

The session was led by Suyeon Kim, who is the Head of the EY AI Center and now the newly appointed CTO of EY Asia East, with the topic of making use of artificial intelligence as a long-term growth driver.

This year, the honorees from Korea included Haeryeon Kim, Chairwoman of Taekyung Group, a leading basic materials company, and Soyoun Yoon, founder and Chief Vision Officer (CVO) of Apartmentary, a premium apartment interior design company.

The conference highlighted Seoul’s increasing importance as a platform for cross-border business collaboration in Asia-Pacific.