HOPE BANCORP INC 8-K

What Happened
Hope Bancorp, Inc. (HOPE) filed an 8-K reporting that on March 26, 2026 its board approved the promotion of Peter J. Koh to President & Chief Operating Officer of its bank subsidiary, Bank of Hope, effective April 1, 2026. Mr. Koh previously served as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Bank. Kevin S. Kim will remain Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of both the Company and the Bank and will continue as President of the Company.

Key Details

• Promotion approved on March 26, 2026 and effective April 1, 2026.
• New base salary for Mr. Koh: $600,000.
• Short-term incentive target increased to 80% of salary; long-term incentive target increased to 80% of base salary.
• No family relationships with current directors or executive officers; Mr. Koh is related to former director and Honorary Chairman Steven S. Koh (retired Dec. 31, 2025). No arrangements or other reportable transactions were disclosed.

Why It Matters
This is an operational leadership change at Bank of Hope that formalizes Peter Koh’s expanded role running bank operations while keeping Kevin Kim as CEO and Board chair, signaling leadership continuity. The filing shows a material increase in Mr. Koh’s compensation targets tied to his new duties, which may modestly affect executive compensation expense disclosures going forward. The 8-K references prior proxy disclosures for Mr. Koh’s background and confirms no special related-party arrangements disclosed in this filing.