● S-OIL’s new CEO Othman Al-Ghamdi gives away gift packages to 800 low-income households in the Mapo area on the occasion of Chuseok.
● After taking office, the new CEO makes efforts to adapt to the Korean corporate culture, making himself a Korean name, “Oh Su-man,” and putting it on his business cards.
On Sept. 5, Othman Al-Ghamdi, who came aboard S-OIL as new CEO, set sail towards Korea-friendly management in earnest, giving himself a Korean name and making his first move to dive into CSR activities to help neighbors in need.
On the occasion of Chuseok, the new CEO held a charity event “Sharing Songpyeon with S-OIL” at the Seongsan Social Welfare Center, Ewha Woman’s University in Mapo-gu, Seoul on Sept. 8. The CEO and about 100 employees of S-OIL made Songpyeon, half moon-shaped rice cake, themselves and offered it to 800 low-income households in the Mapo area, including recipients of National Basic Livelihood Security, single-parent families, disabled people, and elderly people living alone in Mapo-gu. In addition, they wrapped gift packages, which contained groceries and daily necessities, and gave them away to the 800 households.
“I learned that Chuseok is a meaningful national holiday in Korea when people make meals and share them and the warmth of their hearts with neighbors, celebrating the autumn harvest,” said CEO Al-Ghamdi, who delivered gift packages in person to elderly people living alone. “We hope that our small help will be a warm gift to needy people who spend Chuseok lonely.”
Meanwhile, CEO Al-Ghamdi is adapting quickly to the Korean culture and management environment, making himself a Korean name, “Oh Su-man,” immediately after he took the helm as CEO. Oh Su-man sounds similar to his Saudi name. The Chinese characters of the name are 吳 (O, a Korean surname), 需 (su, which means to be used), and 挽 (man, which means to pull). It means “a figure who smoothly resolves problems with great wisdom and leads prosperity.
The new CEO has lived in Korea with his wife and children since September last year and is keenly interested in the Korean culture and tradition. It seems that he will broaden his fields of interest to S-OIL’s various CSR activities down the road.
