The Institute for Korean Studies presents:
"Bridging Economies: Asian Corporate Investments in Ohio"
Benedict Sang Won Park
Abstract: Ohio has emerged as a key destination for East Asian corporate investments, driving economic growth and fostering innovation across a wide range of industries. In this lecture, Benedict (Ben) Park, Senior Manager of Asia Business Development at JobsOhio, the state’s economic development corporation, will explore the evolution of East Asian investment in the state, highlighting key contributors such as Japan, the largest foreign investor in Ohio, South Korea, whose recent investments, including LG Energy Solution and LG Chem, signify a burgeoning partnership with Ohio, and Taiwan, which plays a crucial role in strengthening the security of East Asia relation. Ben will provide an overview of the historical investment landscape and offer insights into future collaborations that aim to ensure Ohio’s continued economic prosperity through international partnerships.
Download PDF flyer here.
Benedict (Ben) Sang Won Park is the Senior Manager of Asia Business Development at JobsOhio, the state’s economic development corporation. Ben holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and an M.B.A. from Cornell University. Since joining JobsOhio in November 2022, he has spearheaded efforts to attract investment from Asian markets, including Japan, Korea, India, and Taiwan. With over two decades of experience in the automotive industry, Ben has held roles spanning R&D, finance, business development, and government policy planning, the last of which he was the deputy director of future mobility at the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MoEF), Republic of Korea. He also contributed to the media including an interview with BBC, taught at the Korea Banking Institute to bankers about the automotive industry, and made presentations to financial and automotive companies such as PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), J.P.Morgan Asset Management, Capital Group, and Toyota Motors.
