Catering firm Ourhome taps founding family’s eldest daughter as CEO

The eldest daughter of catering service provider Ourhome Ltd.’s founding family, Koo Mi-hyun, was on Tuesday appointed chief executive of the South Korean company, after her sister Koo Ji-eun failed in her attempt to serve another term.

The incoming CEO is taking the helm of the family-owned company engulfed since 2017 in a feud over management rights between her younger sister and their older brother Koo Bon-sung.

It is the first time that the eldest daughter, a stay-at-home mother, is taking on management of the company.

She had not been involved in the company’s business and just cast swing votes amid her siblings’ rivalry. 

The brother and the oldest of the siblings led the company between 2017 and 2021.

Her husband and inside director of OurHome, Lee Young-yeol, was named its vice chairman.

They tapped Lee Young-pyo, a former chief financial officer of Ourhome, as professional manager in charge of its business operations and management. He has been working at the firm since 1993.

Ourhome was launched as a catering unit of LG Group in 1984 and separated from the group after its late Chairman Koo Ja-hak spun off from the conglomerate in 2000. The four children hold 98% of the company.

Write to Sul-Li Jun at sljun@hankyung.com

Yeonhee Kim edited this article.