South Korea-based KT integrated its IT and R&D groups to form the Technology Innovation Division, part of a wider reorganisation coming less than four months after appointing a new CEO.

CEO Kim Young-seop stated it expects the reorganisation and executive reshuffle to kick start progress for KT in the digital sector.

The executive said the moves would be “the starting point for KT to leap forward as a digital innovation partner”.

KT’s new R&D unit combines its IT division and Convergence Technology Institute in a move to strengthen its core capabilities with the goal of accelerating growth in the B2B sector, the company stated.

To drive its AI ambitions and establish a governance framework, KT also set up an additional AI tech laboratory. The KT Consulting Group, with experts in AI, cloud and IT, was created within the new division.

The company dismantled the Digital Transformation (DX) Convergence division, which it said had overlapping roles.

Executive positions at the assistant MD level and above were cut by 20 per cent, with assistant MD roles reduced from 312 to 264.