Samsung promotes 7 presidents

Samsung Electronics announced the promotion of key executives Thursday as a follow-up to the appointment of its major business division heads.

The latest move came after Samsung named next-generation leaders for its chip, mobile and consumer electronics divisions earlier this week.

Samsung said that while the three former business division heads will not be involved in business management, they will still “leverage their knowledge and insight” to advise the current managerial team.

It promoted Kwon Oh-hyun, former head of the chip division, to become the chairman of Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology.

Yoon Boo-keun, former head of the consumer electronics business, was also promoted to vice chairman for Samsung’s corporate-relations matters. Shin Jong-kyun, who headed the mobile arm of the tech giant, was appointed the vice chairman for the company’s human resources development.

“As previously stated, they will leave the board of directors as of March 2018,” Samsung said.

Earlier this week, the company said it named President Kim Ki-nam to head the device solutions division. President Kim Hyun-suk was named to head consumer electronics, while President Koh Dong-jin was tapped as the new head of the IT and mobile division.

The reshuffle came amid a major leadership crisis after Lee Jae-yong, who had been the de facto chief of Samsung, was imprisoned in February for his connection to a scandal that led to the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye. He was slapped with a five-year jail term in August.

Seven executive vice-presidents were also promoted to presidents. Samsung Electronics said these appointments are significant, as all seven new presidents are in their 50s.