Henry Seggerman
Financial Pioneer | Emerging Markets Expert | Governance Advocate

Henry Seggerman is a veteran investment professional and a recognized agent of change in the South Korean financial markets. As the Chief Investment Officer of International Investment Advisers (IIA) from 2000 to 2025, he led a multi-strategy asset management firm that oversaw up to $770 million in institutional and retail assets, serving a prestigious client base that included Sir John Templeton, Fayez Sarofim, STRS Ohio, and GE Asset Management.

A Legacy of Market Innovation and Performance Mr. Seggerman’s career is defined by "firsts" and a commitment to delivering superior risk-adjusted returns. Under his leadership, IIA’s proprietary trading desk developed the unique Leveraged High-Yield Fund, which utilized a sophisticated fixed-income arbitrage strategy. This fund achieved global recognition, being ranked by Bloomberg as the #4 best-performing hedge fund in its category, having delivered an outstanding 66.17% return in 2012, showcasing its strategic edge in the directional-fixed income space.

Furthermore, the Korea International Investment Fund (KIIF) established a formidable multi-year record of outperformance. As of March 31, 2012, KIIF enjoyed an 8.52% annualized yield from inception, far ahead of South Korea's KOSPI index at 3.92% and MSCI's Korea index at 6.92%. This sustained performance, particularly through the volatility of the dot-com crash and the Great Financial Crisis, underscores his expertise in navigating complex emerging market cycles.

Corporate Governance and Activism Beyond quantitative success, Mr. Seggerman has been a prominent activist investor, frequently engaging in high-stakes governance battles with Korea’s largest conglomerates (chaebols), including the Samsung and SK Groups. His deep expertise in Board relations was forged on the front lines, where he was the first foreign investor to formally meet with mandated "Independent Directors" and successfully add agenda items to Annual General Meetings. His unique position in the market was famously recognized by Samsung Electronics, which reserved him a front-row seat at their televised AGM during periods of intense shareholder activism.

Thought Leadership and Public Engagement A dedicated communicator and educator, Mr. Seggerman served as a columnist for The Korea Times for over a decade, providing analysis on global politics, finance, and economics. He was a frequent guest and source for premier financial media, including the Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, Bloomberg Television, and BusinessWeek. His ability to bridge the gap between complex financial theory and real-world application is further evidenced by his history as a public speaker at The Korea Society, where he lectured on the intersection of South Korean politics and finance.

Educational Foundation Mr. Seggerman holds a Master’s degree from New York University and a Bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. He is also an alumnus of Phillips Exeter Academy and holds a certificate from the Université de Paris VIII. He even speaks a little Korean, which he utilized throughout his career to navigate the "Teheran Valley" tech corridor and the executive suites of Seoul.

IIA's Founder was Harry .G. A. Seggerman, President and fund manager 1992-1999. You can read about him here.