EXCLUSIVE: Sungkyoon Kim appointed President & CEO of Cheil South West Asia

Cheil Worldwide has appointed marketing veteran Sungkyoon Kim as President and Chief Executive Officer of Cheil South West Asia (SWA), marking a key leadership transition at the Samsung-backed advertising and marketing network’s regional operations.

Cheil SWA confirmed the development to Storyboard18. Kim succeeds Carlos LimSeob Chung, who has transitioned into a new role within Cheil Worldwide, the global marketing communications arm of Samsung Group.

Kim brings close to three decades of experience across marketing strategy, consumer psychology, data, and analytics. Prior to taking charge of Cheil SWA, he served as Head of Digital Platform Business at Cheil Worldwide, where he oversaw Samsung.com and led the agency’s DnA (Data and Analytics) Center, driving global CRM, data intelligence, and analytics initiatives.

During his tenure at Cheil Worldwide, Kim also played a pivotal role in establishing the company’s Global Data Center in India, strengthening its offshore research and development capabilities and enhancing global operational efficiency. His deep exposure to digital platforms, data-driven marketing, and technology-led transformation is expected to play a critical role as Cheil expands its non-Samsung business portfolio in India and the broader South West Asia region.

Kim’s appointment comes at a time when Cheil SWA is sharpening its focus on the rapidly growing digital marketing ecosystem. The agency recently acquired Social Beat, a Chennai-headquartered full-service digital marketing firm, to bolster its digital and performance marketing capabilities. While both companies have remained tight-lipped on the deal’s financial details, including valuation and shareholding structure, Storyboard18 was the first to report the transaction.

Founded in 2012 by brothers Suneil Chawla and Vikas Chawla, Social Beat has emerged as one of India’s prominent independent digital agencies, employing over 300 professionals across Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi. The agency offers a wide range of services spanning performance marketing, influencer campaigns, content creation, social media management, SEO, video production, and digital strategy, and has worked with brands such as Bharat Matrimony, Himalaya, Wonderla, Hotstar, and Tata Mutual Fund.

Over the past few years, Cheil has been actively diversifying beyond its traditional Samsung mandate, creating new verticals under the Cheil X umbrella to service non-Samsung clients. The integration of Social Beat is expected to accelerate this shift, with Kim’s leadership likely to be instrumental in scaling Cheil SWA’s digital, data, and technology-led offerings across the region.

With his appointment, Cheil SWA signals a continued push toward data-driven creativity and digital transformation as competition intensifies in India’s advertising and marketing services market.