Samsung’s co-CEO Han Jong-hee has passed away: what does this mean for the company?
By ForGeeks Samsung has fallen on hard times: co-CEO Han Jong-hee, who led the consumer electronics and mobile devices division, has died of a heart attack.
Samsung has fallen on hard times: co-CEO Han Jong-hee, who led the consumer electronics and mobile devices division, has died of a heart attack.
Han Jeong-hee’s career and his impact on Samsung
Han Jeong-hee, who was 63 years old, worked at Samsung for nearly four decades. He was appointed as the company’s co-CEO in 2022 and also served on the board of directors. During his career, he made significant contributions to Samsung’s TV business and played a key role in promoting home electronics and marketing strategy. Under his leadership, the company forged a partnership with Google that resulted in Galaxy AI and features such as Circle to Search.
He was also the company’s COEO.
Samsung stays with one CEO in challenging times
.
The management of Samsung is now fully in the hands of Jun Young-hyun, who has become the company’s sole CEO. He was appointed as co-CEO just a week ago, and took over as head of Samsung’s semiconductor division in 2024. He now has to handle crisis issues at the company on his own.
He is now the sole CEO of Samsung.
Samsung loses ground in key segments
.
The company is facing falling profits and weakening shares. In the advanced chip segment, it is losing ground to SK Hynix and TSMC amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence. In the smartphone business, Samsung has also lost its global lead, losing ground to Apple.
Samsung has also lost its global lead to Apple.
Last week, Han Jong-hee acknowledged that 2025 would be a challenging year for the company. He noted the need to adapt to changes in U.S. trade policy, including possible adjustments under Donald Trump’s administration.
He said the company would need to adapt to changes in U.S. trade policy, including possible adjustments under Donald Trump’s administration.
Samsung’s future: new directions and perspectives
.
Despite the challenges, the company is actively seeking new growth opportunities. Samsung is showing interest in automotive electronics. The company’s CEO, Jay Y. Lee, is currently in China, where he visited Xiaomi’s auto plant in Beijing and BYD’s headquarters in Shenzhen.
Han Jeong-hee’s death is a major blow to Samsung, especially at a time of intense competition for leadership in artificial intelligence and semiconductors. The company will now have to overcome challenges and build a new strategy under Jun Young-hyun’s leadership.
