Women to Watch 2023: Lucy Han, Weber Shandwick

Lucy Han

Executive vice president
Weber Shandwick
South Korea

From peddling CD-ROMs in the 90s to consulting some of Korea’s biggest brands in their global expansions today, it’s not lost on Lucy Han that her journey through the ranks is atypical for women in her country.

In a corporate environment notorious for underusing and undervaluing women, Han decided long ago that she was not going to let cultural norms blunt her ambitions. Rejecting the notion of ‘staying in her place’, she grabbed every opportunity by its horns and carved an illustrious career path in public relations.
Today, Han leads Weber Shandwick’s digital communications practice and consults Korean giants like Samsung, SKY Hynix and Hyundai on their ‘going global’ strategies out of Korea.

Han’s brilliance and tenacity have led to countless achievements over the years, but it was in 2022 that she achieved one of her proudest accomplishments. A passionate advocate for animal rights, Han was the lead strategist behind the promotion of Nureongi, a compelling documentary film that delved into the complex and controversial topic of dog meat consumption in South Korea. Her work triggered a national debate about the practice, as the country moves a step closer to abandoning it.

Thanks to her efforts and the powerful message of the documentary, the Nureongi campaign prompted South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in himself to raise the issue in Cabinet, remarking that maybe now is the time Korea should consider banning dog meat consumption. Nureongi was awarded multiple industry awards, including the NGO Engagement award at the PAA Gold Standard Awards. This year, Han was deservedly named PR Professional of the Year (Agency) at the PR Awards Asia.

Witnessing misogyny first-hand has only fuelled her passion for advocating greater opportunities and recognition for women in the workplace. As the executive sponsor of the Korea office’s DEI Council, Han has been actively championing gender equality and LGBTQ+ causes. Over the years, she has made it her mission to promote women's leadership in the PR industry in Korea.