A 'Communicator' Who Connected the World With Language as Her Weapon... Lee Suhyun, Head of Fritz Hansen Korea [Power K Woman]

Childhood in Brazil, studies in the U.S.... put language skills to use
From trading to overseas operations, branding and sales
"Believe in yourself... stay the course"

Lee Suhyun, head of Fritz Hansen Korea, found her strength in connecting different cultures and people. She spent her childhood in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and also studied in the United States. After graduating from the Spanish Department at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, she entered the trading business. She learned about export operations at a beauty company before moving to the imported furniture industry. She joined Fritz Hansen in 2015 and worked as its Korea sales manager. Since becoming head of the Korea office in 2021, she has focused on building the company’s domestic distribution network and communicating the value of the brand.

Lee Suhyun, head of Fritz Hansen Korea, poses at the company’s branch office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, after meeting with The Asia Business Daily. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Growing Fritz Hansen’s business in Korea was about more than simply selling products. The company had to tell consumers not only about the furniture’s appearance, but also about its materials, how it was made and the stories behind its design. When she was an individual contributor, she considered it important to communicate constantly with business partners and deliver results. She drew on her language skills and international experience to find clients, work with partners and communicate the brand’s value.

After establishing the foundation for Fritz Hansen’s business in Korea, she began to consider her role as a leader responsible for employees’ work, motivation and growth. With help from her husband and workplace, she has balanced work and family life. She also stresses the importance of creating an environment where employees can make the most of their abilities. Her advice, drawn from years of work experience, is to believe in yourself and keep building your career. The Asia Business Daily recently met with Lee at Fritz Hansen Korea’s office in Seocho-gu, Seoul. The following is an edited transcript of the interview.

Lee Suhyeon, country manager of Fritz Hansen Korea, is interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the company’s office in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyunmin.

-You spent part of your childhood overseas.

▲When I was 7, my aunt’s family settled in Brazil and invited my father to join them. As a result, I lived in Brazil for about 10 years. Having spent my childhood abroad, I adapted naturally to the local culture, but after returning to Korea, I had to adjust to life there instead. I majored in Spanish at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and often had opportunities to explain to my foreign friends how to live in Korea. During my studies in the United States, I enjoyed talking with people of different nationalities who were curious about other cultures and explaining Korean culture to them. That made me realize that connecting people and cultures was a good fit for me.

-You began your career in the trading business.

▲I had lived in several countries, and my parents also ran a business overseas, so trading came naturally to mind. Although I had the opportunity to work for a large company, I looked for a place where I could learn the job properly from the start. My first job was at a beauty company that exported cosmetics. I learned about export operations by finding clients in countries including those in Latin America and taking part in overseas trade fairs. At the time, K-beauty was not as widely known as it is today, and payments and trade documents were often handled manually. I learned the practical aspects of the work one step at a time. I also realized that my strengths lay in communicating and building relationships with people rather than carefully preparing documents. I later moved to the imported furniture industry and broadened my role to include overseas operations and branding.

Lee Suhyeon, country manager of Fritz Hansen Korea, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the company's office in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyunmin.

-What was the most important challenge you focused on after joining Fritz Hansen?

▲At the time, even high-quality imported furniture brands were not always recognized for their value in Korea. Sales were centered on multi-brand stores where a single importer handled several brands, making it difficult to convey the history and philosophy of any one brand in depth. As I learned about Fritz Hansen’s products and came to understand the brand, I realized that simply describing the furniture as beautiful was not enough. We had to keep explaining what materials were used, who designed each piece and why, and how it was made until consumers understood.

-Did you face any difficulties establishing the brand in the Korean market?

▲At first, I worked alone. I started by finding partners and opening stores, but as the number of stores grew, we continually needed to take on new tasks, including marketing, customer service and sales support. We also needed to pursue project sales to companies and public institutions, and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, address e-commerce and inventory management issues. As the business gradually grew, I built a team. Initially, it was not easy to stay on top of employees’ work and motivation. Achieving results as an individual contributor was different from leading an organization. The title of country manager was not simply a position you earned by doing your own work well. I learned that I was also responsible for the working environment and growth of the people on my team.

Lee Suhyun, head of Fritz Hansen Korea, poses for a photo during an interview with The Asia Business Daily at the company’s branch in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

-What changed when your role shifted from individual contributor to leader?

▲When I worked alone, it was important to do my job well and deliver results. But running an organization was not something I could do well on my own. I had to consider employees’ well-being and motivation, as well as create an environment where each person could make the most of their abilities. In 2024, after former CEO Jacob Holm, who had led the company for many years, retired, the head office began holding leadership workshops with outside experts. I am also learning what role a leader should play through this process. The head office and the Korea office began reflecting on leadership around the same time, and we are still learning together.

-Have you experienced any particular strengths or challenges as a woman leader?

▲Being a woman has helped me pay close attention to employees’ situations and feelings and understand them. I am also a working professional and a parent, so I can relate to the difficulties employees face. On the other hand, it took time to earn recognition from the overseas head office. At first, I had to demonstrate with numbers that the Korean market and my capabilities were on par with, or better than, those of men. I also had to actively share my views and explain what I could do to make my contributions visible.

Lee Suhyun, head of Fritz Hansen Korea, poses at the company's branch office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, where she met with The Asia Business Daily. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

-You have continued your career while balancing work and childcare.

▲It would not have been easy without my husband’s help. When I needed to focus on work, he worked from home and took care of the children. My company also made accommodations so I could work flexibly to suit the circumstances. There could have been times when one of us had to give up our career to take care of the children, but we divided responsibilities between us, and the support from my workplace allowed me to continue working. I also felt it would be a shame to give up the experience I had built up over the years. Ultimately, I developed expertise in communications in a broad sense.

-What do you think women need to balance work and childcare?

▲They need support from their companies. Even a little flexibility can go a long way in helping people continue their careers. The period when a person needs to care for children may be short in the context of an entire career. If companies allow employees to work from home or in other ways during that period, I believe they can make an even more valuable contribution to the company. What matters is not simply filling a position, but creating an environment where each person can put their abilities to use.

-What would you like to say to women earlier in their careers?

▲I hope they will believe in themselves. Everyone starts out believing in themselves, but that confidence can waver as they encounter other people’s opinions and different circumstances. If you are clear about the direction you want to take, ask others for help and stay the course. If, after trying different things, you find what you are good at and what others recognize you for, focus on that and build your expertise. I believe it is important to become an expert recognized for your skills in a specific field rather than gaining only superficial experience across many fields.

▶About Lee Suhyun, Head of Fritz Hansen Korea

Lee Suhyun, who graduated from the Spanish Department at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, entered the trading business, drawing on her childhood in Brazil and her experience studying in the United States. After learning about export operations at Sehwa P&C, she moved to the imported furniture industry and built her career at Hwangdeok Engineering, Ahouse and KUKER Co., Ltd. She joined Fritz Hansen in 2015 as its Korea sales manager and focused on building the company’s domestic distribution network and business foundation for the brand. She became head of Fritz Hansen Korea in 2021 and leads the company’s business in Korea.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.