Samsung Electronics names mobile chief as co-CEO

Samsung Electronics named Roh Tae-moon, head of its mobile device division, as co-CEO leading its overall device business, tasking him with leading the tech giant alongside chip division chief and CEO Jun Young-hyun.

With the latest appointment, Samsung has restored its co-CEO structure, nearly nine months after former Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee died in March. The company said it expects the co-CEO system to strengthen its core businesses and ensure stable management amid increasing uncertainties, while also positioning the firm to secure future technologies.

According to the appointment, Roh, who had been serving as acting head of Samsung’s Device Experience (DX) division since April, was officially named to the position and co-CEO of the company. He will also continue to lead the Mobile Experience (MX) business, a subunit within the DX division.

Roh, an engineer who earned his Ph.D. at Pohang University of Science and Technology, is known for being one of Samsung’s youngest-ever executives, becoming president in 2018, 21 years after joining the company. He is credited with the strong performance of the Galaxy S25 series and the Galaxy Fold 7, with the MX division generating 100.3 trillion won ($68.12 billion) in cumulative sales from January to September this year. Analysts say the S25’s artificial intelligence (AI) features and the Fold7’s unique form factor played a key role in boosting sales.

Jun, a vice chairman, will remain co-CEO and continue to lead the chipmaking Device Solutions (DS) division and the memory business. However, he will hand over the leadership of Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) to Park Hong-kun, who will join the company on Jan. 1 as president.

Park is the Mark Hyman Jr. Professor of Chemistry and professor of physics at Harvard University. He is a renowned researcher in the fields of nanoscience, quantum science and engineering.

Samsung said it will maintain the structure of its two division heads maintaining their leadership for its MX and memory business in order to strengthen its competitiveness.

To strengthen its technological capability, Samsung also promoted Yoon Jang-hyun, previously the CEO of Samsung Venture Investment, to president, tasking him with the role of chief technology officer (CTO) of the DX division and the head of Samsung Research.

Samsung said it has appointed top experts as head of SAIT and CTO of the DX division to “drive research on next-generation semiconductor technologies and accelerate the company’s transition into an AI-driven organization.”

The latest reshuffle is seen as Samsung’s decision to prioritize stability amid rising market uncertainties. Before Friday’s announcement, there had been speculation that the company might overhaul its president-level leadership to refresh the entire organization but, the actual appointments indicate that Samsung chose to put greater emphasis on continuity rather than sweeping changes.

Since the company unexpectedly promoted two presidents in March and April, there is speculation that further surprise appointments may come this year. With most heads of major business departments remaining in their positions, Samsung said it will soon announce a vice president-level reshuffle and other organizational changes.