Global talent event BTC held in Chicago

Over 40 master's, doctoral candidates from MIT and other top institutions attend

LG Energy Solution CEO Kim Dong-myung delivers a welcome address at the company's global talent event BTC in Chicago on Saturday. [LG Energy Solution]
LG Energy Solution CEO Kim Dong-myung delivers a welcome address at the company's global talent event BTC in Chicago on Saturday. [LG Energy Solution]

LG Energy Solution moved to recruit top global battery talent in Chicago over the weekend, with CEO Kim Dong-myung and other senior executives meeting with leading research candidates to share the company's technology vision and growth strategy.

The company hosted its annual Battery Tech Conference, known as BTC, in Chicago on Saturday. The event invites master's and doctoral candidates from around the world each year to learn about the company's technological capabilities and vision, with the aim of connecting them to career opportunities. It has become an established forum where company leadership and prospective R&D talent meet to discuss research direction and long-term technology goals.

More than 40 master's and doctoral students and researchers from leading American universities and research institutions attended — including MIT, Stanford University, the University of California Berkeley, the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory. Participants spanned core research areas such as energy storage systems and next-generation batteries, as well as emerging fields including AI and physical AI.

LG Energy Solution was represented by Kim alongside Chief Digital Officer Executive Vice President Lee Jin-gyu and Chief Human Resources Officer Executive Vice President Kim Ki-su. Key technology executives also attended, including cell advanced development group head Lee Jae-heon, ESS development center head Kim Ki-woong and AI and big data division Senior Vice President Yoon Jeong-seok.

In his welcome address, Kim said batteries are no longer simply a product but are becoming "the core infrastructure connecting all the world's energy," adding that the event was organized "to meet the talent who will help design the direction of the future energy industry together."

A CEO session followed, in which Kim recounted his career path from researcher with a doctorate in materials engineering to chief executive, and took questions from attendees.

"I want to grow LG Energy Solution beyond a simple battery company into an energy platform company that provides total solutions," Kim said. "The people who will build that future are R&D talent like yourselves." He added that shaping the future of batteries "will not be an easy journey, but it will be a meaningful and worthwhile challenge."

The event also featured presentations on the current state and vision of key research organizations, including the CTO and CDO offices, along with research talks on new technology areas such as ESS, AI and big data, and next-generation batteries. Lee Sang-young, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Yonsei University and a leading authority in battery research, delivered a special lecture outlining the latest trends in the field.

Attendees shared research findings and ideas through poster presentations and networking sessions, deepening their understanding of the company and its technological strengths through exchanges with LG Energy Solution staff.

"BTC has firmly established itself as a premier channel for recruiting global research talent and co-charting the roadmap for the battery industry," a company official said. "We will continue working to attract the talent needed to accelerate future growth and drive innovation."

Meanwhile, LG Energy Solution has been stepping up efforts to identify and develop talent. Last month, the company held its 2026 Invention and Patent Filing Awards ceremony at its Yeouido Park One headquarters, recognizing 12 employees for outstanding research achievements.


eyre@heraldcorp.com