Porsche Korea announced on the 8th that CEO Holger Gehrman has been selected as an Honorary Citizen of Seoul.
Upon being honored as an Honorary Citizen, Holger Gehrman stated, “Seoul, where historic landmarks blend with a modern urban landscape, and vibrant cultural diversity come together, is a city that inspires dreamers and is full of positive energy towards the future. I will take pride in being a representative of corporate citizenship and as one of the citizens of Seoul, fulfilling my social responsibility with honor and affection.”
Since May, the city of Seoul has been selecting candidates for Honorary Citizens who have contributed to the development of the city or have aided in enhancing the lives and cultural activities of its citizens, ultimately selecting 15 finalists. The award ceremony for Honorary Citizens took place at Seoul City Hall on the 8th.
Since his appointment in 2019, Holger Gehrman has led Porsche Korea to record more than double its sales, establishing a unique image as a leading sports car brand. By opening new service centers, Porsche Studios, and Porsche Now pop-up stores, he has expanded the network, and this year, through various activities commemorating the 75th anniversary of Porsche sports cars, he is providing differentiated brand experiences.
Porsche Korea’s social contribution campaign, ‘Porsche Do Dream,’ has received great recognition for its continuous and sincere activities, expanding into various fields and enhancing the scale of its beneficiaries. Since 2017, Porsche Korea has been pursuing activities that align with the brand’s core values in education, environment, and culture.
They have been continuing their support initiatives such as ‘Porsche Dream Up’ for talented children, ‘Porsche Dream Playground’ for indoor gym construction, and ‘Porsche Dream Circle’ for creating green spaces in schools. This year, for ‘Dream Circle,’ they have partnered with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to provide systematic support for the preservation and expansion of school greenery. They are also undertaking the ‘Dream Smart Kid’ project for creating safe commuting routes and protecting children.
Additionally, they support the performing arts sector through ‘Porsche Do Dream Collaboration,’ the public art project ‘Porsche Dream Art with Seoul’s public bicycle system, ‘Dda-reung-i,’ which utilizes new artists’ works, and the ‘Dreamers On’ media art project that shares the works of emerging artists throughout Seoul, thus providing cultural opportunities to the public.
Moreover, they are engaged in various fields with campaigns like ‘Porsche Future Heritage’ supporting intangible cultural heritage and the urban beekeeping project ‘Believe in Dream.’
Recognized for the contributions of these social responsibility campaigns, Porsche Korea was the first imported car brand to receive the ‘2019 Award from the Mayor of Seoul for Donors and Contributors to the Underprivileged’ and in 2021, they received the ‘2021 Arts Patron of the Year Award’ from the Korea Arts Council.
On another note, through the ‘Do Dream’ campaign, Porsche Korea has donated a total of 5.88 billion won over the past six years.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr