Hanmi Financial in Los Angeles selects next leader

Hanmi Financial in Los Angeles has named a new CEO.

The $5.5 billion-asset company said Bonnie Lee will take on the new role May 3. Lee joined Hanmi's board, effective immediately.

Bonnie Lee

Lee will succeed C.G. Kum, who last summer announced plans to retire.

“The board recognizes Bonnie’s integral role in Hanmi’s success over the last six years and has the utmost confidence in her abilities," Joseph Rho, Hanmi's chairman, said in a press release Wednesday.

"We anticipate a seamless transition as Bonnie takes on her new leadership role at Hanmi, building on her deep connections with Hanmi’s customers and employees," Rho added. "She is a seasoned executive and a highly respected leader in the Korean-American banking industry."

Lee joined Hanmi as its chief operating officer in 2013; she became president in 2018. Hanmi noted that its assets have nearly doubled since she joined the company.

Lee previously served as chief operating officer at BBCN Bank and as regional president of the western region for Shinhan Bank America.

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