Multinational Firms Foster Future Entrepreneurs

Steve McKinney Speaks at the Conference on Fostering Strategies for Future Entrepreneurs.

For Immediate Release
November 17, 2008

(Seoul, Korea) The Korea Institute for Future Strategy (KiFS) & the U.S. Department of Commerce in partnership with the Ministry of Knowledge-based Economy, Republic of Korea held a conference on the topic of entrepreneurship. The emphasis was on the importance of innovative entrepreneurs as a new engine for economic growth.

The focus was on the different economic environment that future entrepreneurs will face, and the necessary qualifications for them to be better equipped to cope with the new challenges. It highlighted that the future entrepreneurs can only be fostered when the state, the firms and the individual can make converted efforts.

The keynote speakers were Mr. John Fogarasi, Minister-Counselor for Commercial Affairs, and Mr. Tim Kane, Senior Fellow, The Kauffman Foundation. In addition, there were other sessions on the Role of the Public Sector and the Role of Multinational Firms in Fostering Future Entrepreneurs.

The panelist for the multinational firms’ session was Moderator Mr. Moses Awe from Ernst & Young Senior Vice Chair, Mr. Kim Choong-Ho Medtronic Managing Director, Mr. John Il Kwun Carlyle Group Representative Director and Mr. Steve McKinney, President of McKinney Consulting Inc. The topic of discussion was the role of multinationals in fostering entrepreneurial growth in the economy, how they advance innovation and economic development in the countries where they work, and how they encourage both internal and external entrepreneurs.

Mr. McKinney spoke about the “How To Lose Innovation” and the “Clash of New Ideas”. Entrepreneurship is nothing if not about introducing new ideas.  It is about introducing ideas, protecting those ideas in their infant stages, executing those ideas, and finally allowing those strong young ideas to cannibalize the weak and old ones the company is still hanging on to. The full text of this speech can be found here.

Steven B. McKinney is the founder and president of McKinney Consulting Inc., who has over 12 years of experience as an Executive Search Consultant & is a Certified Master Coach. He serves on several boards including the American Chamber of Commerce-Korea and was bestowed Honorary Citizen of Seoul in 2007. Prior to the establishment of McKinney Consulting he had over 10 years of senior leadership experience in athletic footwear company giants, Adidas, Reebok and Converse etc. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

About McKinney Consulting: McKinney Consulting is an executive search firm (sometimes simplified as executive recruiters or headhunters) which has placed hundreds of bi-lingual middle-senior level executives for multinational companies in Korea & Asia and was established in 2001. McKinney Consulting is a member of the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC). In addition, McKinney Consulting provides behavioral-based coaching services with scientifically developed tools in coaching executives and businesses to excellence and success. McKinney Consulting coaches are members of the International Coaching Council. Also, McKinney offers Talent Management services such as the outsourcing of candidates and payroll services etc.