WOMEN POWER. Samsung Electronics Company appoints Lee Young-hee as the new president of the Global Marketing Center for its mobile business on Monday (Dec. 5, 2022). She is the first female executive to head the top post. (Yonhap)
SEOUL– Samsung Electronics Co. on Monday promoted Lee Young-hee, a female executive to head the global marketing for its mobile business.
It was the first time the biggest conglomerate in South Korea tapped a female talent for a top post, and also the first to come from outside the founding family.
Young-hee was appointed as president of the Global Marketing Center for Samsung's Device eXperience (DX) division that oversees its mobile business.
Lee Boo-jin, the first daughter of late Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee, is currently serving as the president and chief executive of Hotel Shilla, a Samsung affiliate.
Young-hee joined the tech giant in 2007 and was promoted to vice president in 2012. Previously working at L'Oreal, she is credited with successfully promoting the image and brand of Samsung's Galaxy mobile phones.
Samsung expected the promotion to serve as a chance for other talented female employees to challenge themselves to climb career ladders.
She is among seven new presidents, part of a small-scale corporate reshuffle conducted for the first time since the group's de facto leader Lee Jae-yong was promoted to executive chairman of the company in October.
Samsung did not appoint a new head for its home appliance unit, a position that has been vacant since Lee Jae-seung resigned in October for undisclosed "personal reasons."
Han Jong-hee, vice chair and co-CEO at Samsung, will continue to assume the additional duty following Lee's departure for the time being, Samsung said. (Yonhap)
