We take pride in our clients' enduring satisfaction and the trust they place in us: Sean Sung-Min Kim on what positions Cesna Group Inc as a global leader in talent recruitment services

“Our clients are always our top priority, and we guarantee the superior service that they expect and deserve.”

Cesna Group Inc is a leading staffing and recruiting company specializing in executive search and talent acquisition services. It serves clients worldwide.

The company currently offers recruitment services to over 4,000 client companies, spanning from medium-sized enterprises to Fortune 500 corporations, across a diverse range of industries.

Sean Sung-Min Kim founded Cesna Group 24 years ago and currently serves as its Chief Executive Officer.

The Silicon Review contacted Mr. Kim, and here’s his response.

Interview Highlights

Please tell us about the circumstances or events that led to the founding of Cesna Group, Inc.

Cesna Recruitment was founded in Seoul in 1999, and in 2003, the company established its first overseas branch in New York, United States. Since then, we have helped over 4,000 companies shape the global industry landscape and have expanded to business offices in San Jose, New Jersey, Dallas, Washington, DC, Shanghai, and Singapore.

We specialize in identifying and recruiting senior- and executive-level employees, including directors, managers, C-level executives, and SVPs, to give our clients the invaluable advantage of strong and dynamic leadership. We help our clients search for successful and motivated employees who will contribute to a dynamic, productive, and efficient professional environment.

Q. As a global recruiting service, what are Cesna’s key focus areas?

Cesna Group’s organizational structure is divided into 12 market coverage areas, which enable us to hone our recruitment services based on the specific characteristics of our clients’ industries. This organizational structure also allows our recruitment consultants to develop a refined and complex market understanding in order to better propose suitable candidates for the right job openings of our clients. 

Furthermore, by serving the global market of multinational companies, we recognize the importance of the diversity of the languages of every consultant. Our consultants represent a wide array of cultural backgrounds and are all fluent in two to three languages to facilitate successful communication with and recruitment services for our clients.

Our 12 specialties are: human resources and back office operations; accounting and finance; banking and financial services; healthcare; manufacturing and engineering; IT and technology; consumer and retail; real estate and construction; supply chain; legal and professional services; sales and marketing; and executive search.

Q. Can you introduce us to your services? What are their main features?

As a client-centric consultancy, our business model is based on the needs of our clients and the feedback they have offered us over the years. With the resources of global scale and the capability of local strength, our reach extends throughout North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. Our company recognizes the importance of an entrepreneurial spirit and uniqueness for the success of a company in a competitive new market. We find leaders for our clients who are just as individual and motivated as they are. Our clients are always our top priority, and we guarantee the superior service that they expect and deserve. 

All our clients are dedicated to our global service culture of providing the highest level of talent recruitment services, characterized by flexibility, open communication, and trust. With a mission of pursuing efficient and effective recruitment solutions for our clients, we have built up multinational teams of executives and recruitment consultants to serve large-scale international enterprises.

Q. Tell us about the Cesna team. What value do they bring to the company?

Each of our expert consultants focuses on individual, designated industries, and occupations. Such specialization allows our consultants to become deeply familiar with the dynamics and intricacies of their sector and to develop comprehensive social networks within that sector. Our services have been recognized for our impressive in-house research competence, the speed and flexibility of our responses, as well as our high success rates in discovering qualified talents for executives and managerial positions. 

Cesna Recruitment is continually expanding our global business network to include diverse positions in diverse industries around the world, thereby giving rise to new and valuable connections between talented professionals and corporations. Moreover, the extensive knowledge we have accumulated through our experience in both local and worldwide markets is invaluable, allowing us to become a country-specific recruitment leader with the resources, network, and knowledge of an international firm. We take pride in our clients' enduring satisfaction and the trust they place in us, and Cesna Recruitment will continue to work with global partners to bring fruitful and effective results to our clients. 

Q. What new endeavors is Cesna currently undertaking?     

Cesna’s HQ, based in New Jersey, dispatches local employees to the central and western USA, and our Chinese subsidiary, located in Shanghai, has been meeting the talent demand of leading conglomerates in major cities in China, including Shanghai, for the past 10 years. In addition, the Southeast Asian headquarters have recently opened in Bangkok, Thailand, further expanding Cesna's multinational business area. Based on our experience in overseas expansion, our ultimate goal is to further advance into Europe, South America, and the Middle East within the next 10 years and grow into the global leading recruitment services company.

Sean Sung-Min Kim | Founder & CEO

Professional Journey: In 1999, Mr. Kim embarked on a remarkable journey by founding Cesna Group. However, his story begins with a solid foundation in the technology industry, having spent six years at Samsung HQ. During his tenure, Sean specialized in tech planning and talent recruitment within the fields of semiconductors, digital imaging, and machinery.

Entrepreneurship: The year 1999 marked the inception of Cesna Group, a company that would soon make waves in the business world. Sean's vision and determination led him to establish the company in Seoul, and this was just the beginning. In 2003, Cesna Group expanded its horizons by opening its first branch in the United States. His global ambitions continued to unfold as a Shanghai branch was established in 2008, followed by a Thailand branch in Southeast Asia in 2023.

Educational Background: Mr. Kim's commitment to knowledge and growth is evident in his academic achievements. He holds a master's degree from Hanyang University and has further enriched his leadership skills with executive education at the MIT Sloan School in Boston. His academic journey commenced at Dankook University, where he earned a bachelor of science in engineering.

Published Work: Sean Kim is not just an accomplished entrepreneur but also a published author. In January 2000, he shared his insights with the world through his book, "The Research of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in the United States." This publication stands as a testament to his expertise in the real estate investment segment

Awards and Recognition: In May 2008, Mr. Kim was honored with the "Outstanding 50" award by the Asian Americans Business Development Center in New York City. This award celebrates exceptional leadership and contributions to both business and the community in the Asian American business community.

“With a mission of pursuing efficient and effective recruitment solutions for our clients, we have built up multinational teams of executives and recruitment consultants to serve large-scale international enterprises.”