CEO William Cho Discusses Strategic Growth With Bloomberg: Insights on LG’s Future Vision 2030
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By News Reporter
Collaboration With Expo City Dubai Marks a Major Step in Company’s B2G Expansion
SEOUL, Nov. 25, 2025 — LG Electronics (LG) is accelerating its qualitative growth strategy in the Middle East by expanding its business-to-government (B2G) portfolio.
On November 19, LG signed a strategic partnership with Expo City Dubai – a city borne out of the Dubai government-backed 2020 World Expo – to collaborate on the development of a next-generation smart city. The agreement was signed by William Cho, CEO of LG Electronics and Ahmed Al Khatib, Chief Development and Delivery Officer, Expo City Dubai.
The partnership builds on discussions at the Korea–UAE Business Roundtable, where both governments agreed to deepen cooperation in AI-powered service development and AI infrastructure. It also further deepens LG’s long-standing relationship with Expo City Dubai, an innovation-driven, people-centric community and the new center of Dubai’s future. The company previously supplied LED signage for Expo 2020 and later committed to providing built-in home appliances – including refrigerators, dishwashers and ovens – for 3,000 households currently being built within the smart city.
As a provider of Space as a Service – offering holistic, space-optimized solutions – LG will support the project with innovative infrastructure across multiple areas, including AI data center cooling solutions and smart home systems powered by the company’s AI Home Hub platform.
Through this latest partnership, LG aims to strengthen its position as a comprehensive solutions provider across the B2C, B2B and B2G sectors in the Middle East.
“With our differentiated HVAC technologies and AI Home Hub-based smart solutions, we are committed to contributing to sustainable growth in the Middle East,” said William Cho, CEO of LG Electronics. “We will accelerate efforts to capture new B2B and B2G opportunities with solutions built around each country’s future direction.”
Accelerating B2B and B2G Growth Across the Middle East
LG continues to expand its presence in major markets such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The company has operated in the UAE for 30 years and manages regional headquarters overseeing operations across 75 markets in the Middle East and Africa.
In September, LG signed an MoU to supply cooling solutions for the Middle East’s largest net-zero AI data center – currently being built in Oxagon, the advanced industrial district within Saudi Arabia’s NEOM gigaproject. The agreement – made in partnership with ACWA Power, SHAKER Group and DATAVOLT – positions LG as a strategic contributor to next-generation data center infrastructure.
In Saudi Arabia, LG began its air conditioner partnership with SHAKER Group in 1995 and formed a joint venture in 2006, expanding its B2C and B2B businesses. In recent years, the company has expanded its participation in government-led initiatives, driving consistent growth in B2G revenue. Looking ahead, LG aims to increase the share of its B2B business to around 45 percent of total revenue by 2030.
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By News Reporter
As we celebrate LG’s 35-year journey in Indonesia, I am filled with both gratitude and optimism for what lies ahead. Our presence in this vibrant nation has been more than a business story – it has been a partnership built on shared growth, innovation and resilience.
Aligning With Indonesia’s Industrial Vision for Sustainable Growth
Indonesia’s manufacturing sector continues to be a vital driver of national progress, contributing between 17 and 20 percent of the country’s GDP and employing more than 20 percent of the workforce. The Industrial Services Roadmap 2025–2045 sets out a bold vision to expand industry, create future-ready jobs and integrate technology with sustainability – an ambition that closely aligns with LG’s own values and long-term direction.
Vice Minister of Industry Mr. Faisol Riza highlighted that in 2024, Indonesia’s Manufacturing Value Added (MVA) reached USD 265.07 billion (Rp 4,349 trillion), ranking 13th globally and first in Southeast Asia. This strong performance reflects the growing competitiveness of Indonesia’s industrial base and its crucial role in ensuring economic resilience.
Further underscoring this momentum, the Industrial Confidence Index (IKI) for September 2025 stood at 53.02, signaling continued expansion across 21 of 23 manufacturing subsectors, which together account for nearly 98 percent of non-oil and gas manufacturing GDP. Optimism about the coming months remains high – driven by confidence in policy direction, innovation and industrial strength.
Over Three Decades of Milestones: Building a Fully Integrated Operation
At LG, we are proud to have grown alongside Indonesia, becoming a trusted partner in its industrial and technological transformation. Over the past three and a half decades, we have invested in local capabilities, championed innovation and embedded sustainability into every aspect of our operations – all to enhance lives and strengthen industries.
Our manufacturing facilities in Tangerang and Bekasi produce a wide range of products, from refrigerators and washing machines to monitors, commercial displays and televisions – serving both domestic and regional markets. Last month, we expanded our production capabilities through a strategic partnership in air conditioner manufacturing, operated by a partner company. This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to advancing Indonesia’s industrial ecosystem.
With a network of over 190 service centers across the archipelago and strong collaborations with local distributors and partners, we ensure that LG products and services reach customers in every region.
Today, our locally self-sufficient operation – spanning R&D, manufacturing, marketing and customer care – empowers more than 4,000 local talents and supports national priorities such as Making Indonesia 4.0 and the Industrial Services Roadmap. Together, we are driving continuous innovation, operational excellence and customer satisfaction.
Beyond Business: Empowering Communities and Driving Inclusive Growth
Our commitment to Indonesia goes well beyond business. Through our CSR platform, LG Loves Indonesia, we focus on sustainability, education and community well-being to create meaningful and lasting impact.
Under LG Loves Green, we promote energy-efficient living and environmental responsibility – planting 32,000 trees and supporting recycling initiatives for fabric, food waste and e-waste to raise public and youth awareness.
LG Loves Children enhances early childhood literacy in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Culture, publishing and distributing two series of LG Children’s Books nationwide. We also established three libraries in low-literacy regions, each offering more than 350 curated titles to inspire learning.
Through LG Loves School, we help vocational students build practical skills for future careers by upgrading school labs with LG products and training tools.
Meanwhile, LG Loves and Cares supports local communities through initiatives like Lebaran Sehat, which provides food packages during festive seasons, as well as product donations that improve daily living standards.
Each of these initiatives reflects our belief that true progress must be inclusive – empowering individuals and uplifting communities across Indonesia.
Looking Ahead: A Shared Future of Sustainable Growth
As we look toward the future, LG’s dedication to Indonesia remains steadfast. We deeply value the trust and partnership we have built with the government, industry peers and the Indonesian people. Our approach – anchored in local manufacturing excellence, technology transfer and environmental stewardship – demonstrates our long-term commitment to inclusive and sustainable growth.
Together, under the shared spirit of Life’s Good, we will continue to create a better, more sustainable tomorrow for all.
Contributed by Ha Sang-chul, president of LG Indonesia
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By News Reporter
Company Accelerates Growth Strategy, Expanding Footprint in the Global South
SEOUL, Sep. 8, 2025 — LG Electronics (LG) CEO William Cho is advancing the company’s Global South growth strategy through a strategic partnership to provide cooling solutions for an AI data center under development in Oxagon, the industrial hub of Saudi Arabia’s NEOM City project.
On September 2 in Riyadh, Cho met with Abdulelah Abunayyan, Chairman of SHAKER Group, the manufacturer and sole distributor of LG Air Conditioners, following the 30th anniversary of the strategic partnership; and Rajit Nanda, CEO of DATAVOLT, a global data infrastructure provider. The parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) under which LG will supply advanced thermal management solutions for next-generation data centers being developed by DATAVOLT.
DATAVOLT, headquartered in Saudi Arabia with offices in the USA, Uzbekistan, India and the UAE and with a presence in South Korea and South Africa, develops hyperscale data centers that incorporate renewable energy and alternative fuels. Its flagship project in Oxagon is planned as one of the largest AI data centers in the region. DATAVOLT is also investing in hyperscale data centers in Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, and other parts of Asia.
“We are building a new generation of net-zero, AI-ready data centers designed for performance, scale and sustainability,” said Rajit Nanda, CEO of DATAVOLT. “Partnering with LG allows us to integrate world-class cooling technologies that are critical to enabling the digital transformation of governments and enterprises across the Kingdom of Saudi and beyond.”
“Our 30-year partnership with LG has been instrumental in shaping the HVAC market in Saudi Arabia, and today’s collaboration marks another step forward in that journey,” said Mohammed Ibrahim Abunayyan, CEO of SHAKER Group. “By joining forces with LG and DATAVOLT, we are driving innovation in advanced, energy efficient cooling solutions and supporting the Kingdom’s ambition to become a global technology hub.”
By integrating large-scale chillers with coolant distribution units, LG is positioning AI data center thermal management as a new growth engine within its heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) business. In addition to cooling, LG is developing capabilities to propose integrated solutions such as heat recovery and DC power systems, which can further contribute to energy efficiency in data centers.
The collaboration is also meaningful from the perspective of LG’s “One LG Solution” strategy, which seeks to leverage capabilities across LG Group affiliates. Beyond thermal management, opportunities may extend to battery solutions from LG Energy Solution and data center design, build and operation solutions from LG CNS, drawing on LG Group’s global network.
During his visit, Cho also assessed the market environment and business performance of LG operations in Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, the Levant and Maghreb, highlighting the importance of tailoring strategies to local market dynamics.
“The Middle East and Africa hold tremendous potential,” said CEO Cho. “The Middle East offers abundant B2G and B2B opportunities driven by government-led industrial restructuring and large-scale development projects. By leveraging our strong brand and differentiated offerings in areas such as AI home and smart solutions, we need to focus on capturing new growth across the region.”
Recently, Pilwon Jung, LG’s regional representative for the Middle East and Africa, signed an MOU with Mohammad Al Habib Real Estate Co., a major Saudi developer actively involved in government-backed projects, including premium housing developments.
This marks CEO Cho’s third visit to the Global South this year, following trips to India in January and to Vietnam and Indonesia in May. The Global South is a cornerstone of LG’s growth strategy, with the company positioning the region as a key engine for long-term expansion amid shifting global economic dynamics.
The Middle East and Africa together account for about a quarter of the world’s population and are recognized as regions of strong growth potential. In particular, the Middle East has accelerated diversification beyond oil under government-led initiatives. According to Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency’s 2025 Export Outlook and Regional Market Conditions report, non-oil GDP growth in the Gulf Cooperation Council, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia, is projected to reach 4 percent this year – the highest in three years.
LG has a long history in the Middle East and Africa, first entering the region through branches in Kuwait (1979) and Côte d’Ivoire (1990). Over the past five years, LG’s sales in the region have grown by more than 30 percent.
In HVAC, LG continues to introduce solutions designed for the region’s climate in collaboration with SHAKER Group. These include outdoor units with heat exchangers engineered to withstand sandstorms and high temperatures, produced at the local LG-SHAKER manufacturing facility. LG is also strengthening its service infrastructure with dedicated maintenance subsidiaries across the region.
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By News Reporter
At LG Electronics, we are accelerating our drive for qualitative growth by focusing on B2B, non-hardware and direct-to-consumer (D2C) business models. This transformation is about more than just moving beyond the sale of physical products – it’s about building continuous customer engagement and diversifying revenue through long-term partnerships.
One of the most compelling examples of this shift is the evolution of our webOS platform business.
From Smart TV OS to Scalable Media Platform
Originally launched as a smart TV operating system, webOS has grown into a robust, multi-service platform that now includes AI-powered content recommendations, cloud gaming, home IoT connectivity and B2B display solutions. Its open and flexible architecture enables seamless integration with global device manufacturers and content providers – a key driver behind its global scalability and adaptability.
webOS Hub 3.0: Powering Display Innovation
Recently launched webOS Hub 3.0, is gaining rapid traction as a scalable Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) for display makers around the world. Supporting features like AI voice recommendations, cloud gaming integration and smart home control, it is built to operate across a wide range of display products – not just LG’s.
As of 2025, over 600 global brands have adopted webOS Hub, solidifying our leadership in the OS market for display manufacturers.
What sets webOS Hub apart is the delivery of multifaceted services into a single, integrated platform – from global streaming apps to FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) via LG Channels or cloud gaming. This creates meaningful value for both manufacturers and end users alike.
Beyond the home, webOS is also expanding into commercial venues, hotels and public institutions, evolving into a smart platform solution that improves operational efficiency and enables targeted content delivery. This expansion supports long-term, contract-based business models with enterprise clients.
LG Channels: Elevating Content Discovery
Our owned-and-operated service, LG Channels, now delivers free, ad-supported streaming in 33 countries, with over 4,000 channels available. Exclusively curated content featured on LG Showcase (North America), LG 1 and LG 1 Spotlight (Europe), along with regionally customized programming and a growing network of partners including national and local broadcasters and news organizations, have helped LG Channels become a distinct competitive advantage in the smart TV content space.
As a recognition of its contribution to regional content delivery, LG Channels was honored with the ITVT/TVOT 2025 Award for Achievement in Local Broadcasting. Our original series The Rivalries – a documentary spotlighting college sports rivalries in the U.S. – also received a Webby Award for Best Sports Video last year.
webOS for Mobility: Living Space on Wheels
webOS is also extending its reach into the automotive sector through our Automotive Content Platform, redefining the in-vehicle experience and transforming the car into a “living space on wheels.”
Built on the proven success of webOS in smart TVs, the vehicle-optimized version delivers services like LG Channels in a seamless, entertainment-focused UX. This approach enriches life on the move by connecting vehicles to our broader content ecosystem.
From Cornerstone to Momentum: Accelerating LG’s Platform‑Centric Business
The momentum behind webOS is undeniable. With an average annual growth rate of 40 percent over the past three years, our platform business surpassed KRW 1 trillion in revenue in 2024.
In emerging markets such as India, the Middle East and Latin America, webOS is experiencing accelerated adoption – driven by rising demand for streaming services, expanding digital infrastructure, and growing public and commercial display needs.
webOS is more than just a solution – it’s a cornerstone of LG’s platform-centric future, playing a vital role in enhancing profitability and business resilience. By transforming user experiences and enabling new business models, webOS is unlocking new value across industries.
By Chris Cho, head of the webOS Platform Business Center, LG Media Entertainment Solution Company
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By News Reporter
LG Electronics has achieved a significant milestone by securing a spot in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2024. This accomplishment is the result of LG’s bold rebranding efforts. Hyoeun Kim, vice president of Brand Management Division, Overseas Sales and Marketing Company at LG Electronics, shares her insights and the story behind this transformation. LG has embraced its evolution into a “Smart Life Solution Company,” redefining its identity to deliver innovation that enhances everyday life.
In an interview with Forbes, Kim shared insights into LG’s branding journey, highlighting the company’s commitment to its “Life’s Good” promise and its ethos of “brave optimism.” She emphasized the importance of creating meaningful connections through both internal and external communications, as well as engaging customers through products and campaigns that inspire positivity and confidence in the future.
As part of this transformation, LG has launched comprehensive branding initiatives, including targeted activities to engage younger generations like Gen Z. Campaigns such as “Optimism Your Feed” on TikTok and YouTube resonated strongly, amassing over 1.8 billion views and significantly boosting global engagement.
LG remains dedicated to evolving its brand and connecting with customers worldwide through innovative solutions and impactful communication strategies. Visit
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