James Song

James Song, the head of Clark Material Handling International, starts his work day by checking emails and browsing through Korea's leading business and financial newspaper, the Korea Economic Daily.

Next, he meets with his colleagues to discuss any work issues that have cropped up and offers his instructions. Then he participates in conference calls with the heads of Clark's overseas sales companies and the production companies in Changwon and Qingdao. After that, he may study business reports or sign his approval on submitted business plans.

That is just the first half of Song's day as CEO and president of CMHI.

Song is relatively new to the forklift industry, joining Clark as vice president of marketing and sales in May 2005.

"I met Sung-Hak Baik [Clark owner and hat entrepreneur] in 1997 for a bus project in Costa Rica, which led me to apply for the job opening in Clark eight years later."

James Song (second from left) visits Clark Material Handling Company (CMHC) in Lexington, Kentucky, for Clark's 90th anniversary celebration. CMHC president Dennis Lawrence is on Song's right.

Song was working as director of Hyundai Corp's automobile division then. He'd been with the company for 28 years - 15 years posted overseas in Bangkok, London, Tehran and Tokyo/Osaka. His career with Hyundai included the position of senior director of the plants and machinery division, automobile division and steel division.

Asked what he enjoys most about his present job, Song says he likes travelling overseas to open new markets or develop the dealer network. He also appreciates the managerial aspect of his position.

"I enjoy talking to staff members, encouraging them and teaching them how to cope with problems."

He explains his management approach covers the three objectives of customer satisfaction, product quality and human capital development.

While the materials handling industry lacks the "lustre" of other rapidly growing industrial sectors, Song thinks technical innovations in forklifts can attract the interest of today's career-seekers.

Song enjoys Thai food, golf and travelling. He is multilingual and has read the novel "Wild Swans" by Jung Chang four times - first in Japanese, twice in English and once in Korean.