이 기사는 2021년 11월 17일 08시05분 thebell에 표출된 기사입니다

DL Chemical’s acquisition of Texas-based specialty chemical manufacturer Kraton has been led by megers anc acquisitions (M&A) experts, including Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman Kim Sang-woo, Chief Risk management Officer Shin Hyun-sik, and vice president Lee Jin-kyu, alongside Head of Specialty business Kim Gil-soo.

DL Chemical, formerly known as Daelim Industrial, has signed a definitive agreement to buy 100% of the US-listed company for $1.6 billion (about 1.9 trillion won) at the end of September. Kraton is the largest global provider of styrenic block copolymers, specializing in high-value specialty chemicals.

DL Chemical established DLC US Holdings and DLC US Inc in the same month for the acquisition of Kraton. DL Chemical owns 100% of DLC US Holdings, and DLC US Inc is wholly owned by DLC US Holdings. DLC US Inc is expected to merge with Kraton to create a newly combined entity, which will be a subsidiary of DLC US Holdings.

DLC US Inc is led by Head of Specialty business Kim Gil-soo, while DLC US Holdings, which will serve as an investment firm, is led by Kim Sang-woo, CEO and Vice Chairman of DL Chemical.

Kim Sang-woo led the Korean company's purchase of Singapore-based Cariflex Pte from Kraton in 2020. Cariflex is the world’s largest manufacturer of specialty synthetic rubber and latex used for medical materials. Before his career at DL Group, Kim worked at BNP Paribas, Softbank Korea, and SK Telecom. He has been spearheading DL Chemical's business expansions since 2012.

Shin and Lee are non-executive directors of DLC US Holdings. Shin was a partner lawyer at local law firm Shin & Kim before joining Daelim Industrial in 2018. He studied law at Seoul National University and received his LL.M. from New York University. Shin also served as an international attorney at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, an international law firm headquartered in New York City, from 2006 to 2007.

Lee was in charge of accounting and tax affairs at Daewoo Engineering & Construction and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering before joining Daelim Industrial at the end of 2019. Lee is recognized for his expertise in the field as he led the improvement of the accounting system when Daewoo E&C and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering were under investigation for accounting fraud a few years ago. (Reporting by Jeong-wan Lee)