Samsung’s reshuffle to spread to other units

Samsung Group’s non-technology affiliates are expected to reshuffle key personnel in the near future as the conglomerate’s flagship Samsung Electronics named a new leadership last week, industry watchers said Sunday.

Last week, the family-controlled conglomerates’ technology affiliates, also including Samsung Display and Samsung SDS, named new CEOs for their businesses. Samsung Electronics tapped younger chiefs for its chips, handsets and home appliances businesses.

The move was significant as Samsung used to announce a group-wide reshuffle through a so-called control tower, the Future Strategy Office. The conglomerate’s decision-making unit was dismantled earlier this year after Samsung was embroiled in a corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of the country’s president.

“Management-level reshuffles for financial, construction and manufacturing affiliates should take place shortly,” a Samsung official said.

Industry watchers, however, said considering Samsung Electronics’ reshuffle was made a month earlier than usual, other affiliates may speed up changes to stabilize their leadership structures and prepare for the new year.

As Samsung also established what it calls a task force of electronics affiliates, industry watchers said similar organizations could be set up among other financial or construction arms as well. The team was widely seen as a miniature version of the now-defunct Future Strategy Office.

Others, however, said that while Samsung Electronics, Samsung Display and Samsung SDI need to cooperate closely for the production of smartphones, other companies do not necessary call for such cooperation.

Samsung Electronics, meanwhile, expected to continue naming younger officials to its key posts.

Last week, Samsung named President Kim Ki-nam to head the device solutions division, which oversees the crucial chip business.

Yonhap