Korea Business Advisor to C-Suite Leaders
Don Southerton is the founder and CEO of Bridging Culture Worldwide, with more than 30 years advising on Korean Peninsula business, cross-border ventures, and international corporate practices. He is a recognized expert on Korean business culture, ownership and control structures, and the relationship between commercial entities and the Korean state.
He advises top Korea-based global corporations and major Western firms with Korean ventures, working directly with executives on market entry, partnership structuring, foreign direct investment, trade and tariff strategy, crisis management, and government affairs.
In the Media
Don is frequently cited on Korean business and the Korean economy by The Economist, Bloomberg TV, BBC World News, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, CNN, Yonhap, and The Korea Times.
- Branding in Asia, contributing author: brandinginasia.com
- The Korea Times, on Hyundai Motor Group: koreatimes.co.kr
- CNBC, on Korean chaebol culture: video
Author
Don is the author of The Hyundai Way, an inside look at the culture, leadership, and strategy that built a global automaker, covering the work-funneling model, the chaebol timeline, and the five transformation vectors reshaping Hyundai’s next decade. Available in Kindle, paperback, and hardcover.
The Hyundai Way on Amazon · Amazon author page
Daily Korea-US Intelligence Briefing
Don publishes a weekday Korea-US intelligence briefing read by executives across the automotive, technology, energy, and legal sectors, plus a Saturday global review and a Sunday week in review.
Read the briefing · LinkedIn newsletter
Background
Don holds a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Colorado, with postgraduate studies at UC San Diego, USC, and UCLA. He is engaged in ongoing study of Transactional Law at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, with emphasis on trade, technology, intellectual property, international relations, and government affairs.
A former United States Military Academy coach and a lifetime martial artist and master instructor, he lives in Golden, Colorado.
Work With Don
Confidential strategy engagements, C-suite briefings, board presentations, and executive workshops.
Text or call 310-866-3777, or request a private briefing.