South Korean bakery giant SPC Group announced Friday that its flagship brand Paris Baguette launched a division overseeing the Asia-Pacific, Middle Eastern and African markets.

The new division under Paris Baguette's overseas business unit will be in charge of operations in the Middle East, Africa and Oceania, expanding its role beyond existing markets in Southeast Asia. Hana Lee, who previously managed Southeast Asian operations, has been appointed CEO of the newly formed bureau, while Moon Tae-hwan has taken on the role of chief financial officer.

“This organizational restructuring is designed to strengthen our overseas offices and provide more effective support,” said a company official.

The move comes as SPC Group prepares to open a baking factory in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, which is to begin operations early this year. The facility is being constructed to comply with Halal certification standards, aiming to tap into the $2 trillion global Halal food market.

To support its plans for supplying products to Islamic markets in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, the company has appointed executives with extensive experience in these regions.

This follows a restructuring in Paris Baguette’s American division, where Darren Tipton has served as CEO since 2021. Recent appointments include Nick Scaccio as chief operating officer, Cathy Chavenet as chief marketing officer, Eric Galkin as chief supply chain officer, Park Sae-yong as chief financial officer and Michelle Jagroop as chief human resources officer.

As part of its expansion plans into Latin America, the division aims to build a local manufacturing facility in Burleson, Texas.

Currently, the company operates in 14 countries, including the US, Canada, France, the UK, China and Singapore, with approximately 630 stores worldwide. SPC Group established a task force in Korea to ensure efficient communication between its headquarters and overseas operations.

By Park Min-ha (en23mp@heraldcorp.com)