With the sudden passing of former Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee, the head of the finished goods (DX) institutional sector is absent, and Samsung Electronics is pondering the appointment of a new figure. Inside and outside Samsung, the presence of Vice Chairman Han was so significant that immediately finding a suitable person is deemed impossible, but Na Tae-moon, head of the Mobile Experience (MX) institutional sector, who has demonstrated expertise in the mobile business for a long time, is viewed as a likely alternative.
According to industry sources on the 30th, Samsung Electronics reportedly began actively seeking a successor following the conclusion of Vice Chairman Han's funeral procedures on the 27th. Above all, since Vice Chairman Han managed the entire set business as well as served as the head of the Digital Appliances (DA) institutional sector and the Quality Innovation Committee, finding a figure capable of filling the late leader's void is considered urgent.
Both inside and outside the industry, Na Tae-moon is being prominently mentioned as the next head of the DX institutional sector. Born in 1968, Na was reappointed as an internal director at the recent shareholders' meeting. Since 2020, Na has been leading the MX institutional sector (formerly the Wireless Business), and he is currently the only internal director in the DX institutional sector, making it possible for him to be appointed as the CEO through board resolution in the future.
If Na Tae-moon takes charge of the DX institutional sector, he may temporarily continue to serve as the head of the MX institutional sector, or there is a possibility that Choi Won-jun, head of the MX institutional sector's Development Office, who was promoted to president earlier this month through 'one-point' appointments, could take over as the next head of the MX institutional sector. A source familiar with Samsung Electronics noted, "It has been a well-known fact that Na Tae-moon has been referred to as 'the post-Han Jong-hee' for some time," adding, "However, since Na is an expert solely within the mobile field, taking on a role that encompasses home appliances and the entire set business like Vice Chairman Han did may not be easy."
Some quarters in the industry suggest that, for the time being, the operation may continue under a single CEO system led by Jeon Young-hyun, head of the DS (semiconductor) institutional sector, while leaving Vice Chairman Han's void unfilled. In this case, there is also room to seek a successor among individuals outside the internal directors. Jeon Kyung-hoon, born in 1962 and the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the DX institutional sector, is also being mentioned as a possible next head of the DX institutional sector. The possibility of presidential appointments from other affiliated companies or the return of 'old boys' has also been raised.
Here, interest is also focused on who will take over as the head of the DA institutional sector, as Vice Chairman Han had been concurrently serving in that role since former President Lee Jae-sung expressed his intention to resign for personal reasons in October 2022, and he had worked hard to recover the poor performance of the home appliance business. Typically, the head of the development team is considered the next head of the institutional sector, and internally, there is mention of Moon Jong-sung, team leader (vice president) born in 1971, possibly succeeding him. Lim Sung-taek, vice president of Samsung Electronics Korea, known for achieving significant results this year with a subscription-based appliance service, is also cited as one of the strong candidates.
Meanwhile, Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, is expected to expedite the organization after receiving a report on the appointment of a successor soon, having returned from a business trip to China on the 28th. Considering that the chairman recently expressed his willingness for regular personnel changes and talent acquisition at a seminar for executives, further one-point appointments for overcoming crises and strengthening leadership, as well as organizational restructuring, are also expected to follow.