Samsung Electronics headquarters in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Samsung Electronics on Friday promoted a total of 137 executives in a year-end reshuffle, including tech-savvy executives with strong achievements in their respective areas, with a goal of reviving stagnant business performance.
The total number of promotions is slightly down from last year’s 143, and includes 35 new vice presidents and 92 new managing directors.
“Samsung Electronics carried out a major personnel reshuffle strictly based on the principle of meritocracy, with an aim to overcome the current management crisis,” the company said in the statement.
“To boost drive for future growth, the company promoted more tech specialists in fields including software, and young leaders with exceptional management performance and potentials for growth to tackle uncertainties in both domestic and global markets.”
This year, the company promoted one managing director in his 30s and eight vice presidents in their 40s.
Among the tech specialists are Park Jung-ho, who has been leading the company's next-generation communication research center as deputy head. The 50-year-old leader, promoted to vice president in the reshuffle, is a communications expert with a proven track record in 5G technology development and commercialization.
The company also promoted those in their 40s to vice president positions, Lee Gui-ho, a 49-year-old service business expert, has laid the foundation for visual display advertising services, leading growth in ad service revenue.
In the all-important semiconductor business, the company promoted a number of vice presidents including Lim Sung-soo, a DRAM process integration expert, who spearheaded the world's first vertical channel transistor development to overcome DRAM scaling limitations. A specialist in logic devices and process technology Kwon Oh-kyum was also promoted to vice president.
Ha Ji-hoon, aged 39, was the youngest executive to be promoted on Friday. Ha is a next-generation communication software platform design expert, leading virtualized Radio Access Network differentiation technologies to strengthen competitiveness in the communications business, the company said.
Samsung also promoted eight women and one foreign nationals to executive positions, putting renewed emphasis on diversity and inclusivity, according to the company.
Among the new female executives is Seo Jung-ah, the head of digital commerce team at mobile device business, promoted to vice president in the regular reshuffle. Seo is an online business expert who drove sales growth through enhanced promotion and data-driven strategies, the company said.
Sitthichoke Nopchinabutr, the head of TSE-S headquarters under Samsung's Southeast Asia General Division, was the only foreign executive promoted as managing director this year. A sales leader from Thailand, Sitthichoke contributed to increased sales for the company's flagship mobile device products, and creating scalable sell-out platforms, Samsung explained.
Friday's executive reshuffle came after the tech giant announced a leadership shakeup this week, where it replaced the top brass at its sluggish chipmaking business divisions.
The tech giant has been struggling to capitalize on the AI boom, and is seeking reforms to revitalize its business and sharpen its technological edge.
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