Samsung announces new mobile chief amidst stiff competition from rival Huawei
As Samsung Electronics seeks to defend its lead in the handset market from close rivals such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the South Korean firm has named its youngest president as its new smartphone chief. The South Korean firm also promoted the head of its network equipment business.
Samsung appointed Roh Tae-moon, currently its youngest-ever president at 51, as mobile chief as part of a reshuffle.
Roh championed Samsung's shift to outsource more handset production to cut costs and better compete with lower-priced Chinese smartphone makers such as Huawei. As former mobile development head, Roh led development of Samsung's Galaxy mobile devices, and is tasked with re-invigorating the organisation at a time of heated smartphone competition, the South Korean company said in a statement.
Samsung's network business chief Cheun Kyung-whoon, who was involved in the world's first commercialisation of 5G services in South Korea, was promoted to president to help turn networking into a major business for the firm, Samsung said.
Samsung took an early lead in smartphones running on quicker fifth-generation (5G) telecommunication networks, but Huawei has widely boosted sales of 5G-capable smartphones and equipment this year, leveraging its huge home market.
Samsung held a 21% market share in the third quarter, but Huawei closed in with 18%, as per the latest data from Counterpoint. That came even as Huawei in May was banned from doing business with most U.S. firms, preventing its access to technology like Alphabet Inc's Android.
Former mobile chief and co-chief executive DJ Koh will continue to lead Samsung's IT & mobile communications (IM) division, which oversees both mobile devices and network equipment.
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