YoungWook Ha
Ph.D Candidate

Credentials

Professional Background

Connecting Organizations to
Global Opportunity

YoungWook Ha brings a rare combination of corporate leadership depth and entrepreneurial range — shaped by careers at Samsung Electronics Semiconductor, the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT), and Samsung's Chairman's Office. Over the past decade, he served as Chief Operating Officer of a global innovation organization headquartered in Silicon Valley and as a board member of U.S. subsidiary Stellus Technologies.

Drawing on these experiences, YoungWook authored "Preparation for the Moment" — published in both Korea and the United States — a reflection on leadership, strategic timing, and organizational readiness in an era of accelerating change.

In March 2023, he founded Pine to Oak Catalyst, delivering lectures and management consulting services to large corporations, overseas research institutions, universities, and venture capital and accelerator firms. In January 2024, he began advising Pathfinder, an executive recruiting firm that partners with major Korean conglomerates, financial institutions, and multinational corporations. He concurrently served as Executive Advisor to PrimeTech Ventures in the United States.

Currently based in the U.S., YoungWook co-founded Valley Innovation Partners to help Korean companies and startups grow globally — drawing on an active network spanning the United States, Europe (France, Germany, and the U.K.), and Israel. He holds a Master's degree in Economics from the University of Helsinki, Finland, and is currently a Ph.D Candidate.