Samsung weighs new 'control tower' as leadership reshuffle nears

SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics is considering reestablishing a central management body to coordinate its sprawling business divisions, as the conglomerate prepares for a major executive reshuffle next month.

The move comes as Chairman Lee Jae-yong marks his third year at the helm with the company riding a resurgent semiconductor boom.

Industry sources say Samsung plans to accelerate both its annual personnel reshuffle and a broader organizational restructuring.

At the center of speculation is the possible revival of a corporate “control tower,” a strategic management hub that Samsung has lacked since it dismantled its powerful Future Strategy Office in 2016 amid a high-profile political scandal. Since then, the conglomerate has operated with smaller task forces dedicated to business support and financial competitiveness but without a central coordinating structure.

Pressure to restore such a unit has grown in recent months. Lee Chan-hee, head of Samsung’s compliance committee, recently underscored the need for “responsible and unified management” through a more formalized control system — a comment interpreted by observers as an endorsement of the idea.

Attention is also turning to Samsung’s semiconductor division, the company’s primary profit driver, as it seeks to capitalize on soaring demand for advanced memory chips.

Vice Chairman Jeon Young-hyun is expected to retain oversight of the semiconductor unit, while the company’s HBM4 research and development team, established last year, is set to expand. Samsung is also reportedly reallocating DRAM developers from its foundry and system semiconductor teams to reinforce its leadership in high-performance memory.

In the device experience (DX) division, Roh Tae-moon — who has been serving in an acting capacity — is widely expected to be formally appointed as division head. If confirmed, he is likely to hand off his responsibilities in the mobile experience business to a successor.

* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.