Taejun is the Founder, Chair of the Board, and CEO of Gojo & Company, a start-up company providing microfinance in developing nations. Gojo and its group companies provide financial services for more than 1 million people in 5 countries as of the end of 2021. Aspiring to be the private sector world bank, Gojo is the fastest-growing microfinance group in the history of global microfinance.
Having graduated from Korea University and Waseda Graduate School of Finance, Taejun worked at Morgan Stanley and Unison Capital and engaged in private equity investments in Asia. The financial models he made at Morgan Stanley became the template of the business plan for Morgan Stanley’s real estate investment practice. A project for which he led the deal execution at Unison Capital was awarded as the “Exit of the Year” by Private Equity International. Using his coding capability, Taejun automated many investment activities such as financial projection, liability management, etc.
While working as an investment professional, in 2007 Taejun founded an NGO named Living in Peace (“LIP”), which became one of the most successful NGOs in Japan. It launched the first microfinance investment fund in Japan in 2009. LIP also has supported Japanese children living under the alternative care system (foster homes, institutions, etc.) by raising funds to improve their living conditions. As an advocate for children’s rights, Taejun visited the Local Authority Children Services all over Japan and played a pivotal role to reform the national children-care system. With experts in the field, Taejun co-founded J-Oschis, an independent third-party inspection institution for local authorities’ children’s services (“Jido-sodanjo”) to improve local governments’ child support functions.
Taejun has authored 9 books about finance, child welfare, and innovation. He is a finisher of 1,648 km ultra-marathon, holds a Karate black belt and attained 6 Dan of Go, an Asian board game. He loves playing drums and taking street photos of people in the world.
A Korean diaspora descendant, Taejun was born stateless and still maintains that status. He travels worldwide with a travel document for refugees despite the incessant troubles he encounters as a result. All the hardships due to his background have made him a real entrepreneur, so these days he has begun to appreciate them.
In 2018, Taejun was selected as a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum. He is also the youngest founding board member of Endeavor Japan supporting entrepreneurs around the world.
