Shina Chung

Shina Chung is leading Kakao through a sweeping breakup meant to turn South Korea’s dominant messaging platform into an AI business. Pending shareholder approval, Kakao will split into KakaoAI, built around KakaoTalk, AI, advertising and commerce, and investment-focused KakaoX; Chung is slated to lead KakaoAI. Chung took over Kakao amid a governance crisis that saw its founder investigated over stock-manipulation allegations. (He was later acquitted, though prosecutors have appealed). Since taking over as CEO, she's trimmed the company's sprawling portfolio of subsidiaries and helped increase revenue to $5.6 billion last year, a record high. Kakao is also taking part in Korea's "AI for All" initiative to help put the technology in the hands of ordinary Koreans.