S hin Chang-jae is a South Korean billionaire and the chairman of Kyobo Life Insurance, one of the country's largest life insurers. His career path was highly unconventional for a business tycoon. The son of the company's founder, Shin Yong-ho, he initially chose a career in academia, becoming a respected professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Seoul National University. However, his life changed when his father was diagnosed with cancer and asked him to take over the family business.

In 2000, Shin Chang-jae left his medical career to become the chairman of Kyobo. Despite having no business experience, he proved to be a highly effective leader. He is credited with modernizing the staid insurance company, introducing customer-centric management philosophies, and steering it successfully through periods of financial volatility. He also oversees the family's other major asset, the Kyobo Book Centre, one of South Korea's largest bookstore chains, which was founded by his father out of a passion for education and literature. Shin's transition from a respected doctor to a successful corporate leader is a unique story in the world of South Korea's family-run 'chaebols'.