Samsung chairman`s son, daughter given top posts

The son of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee, Jae-yong, was promoted Friday from executive vice president to president of the company.

The chairman’s eldest daughter Lee Boo-jin was also promoted from executive director to president of the Shilla Hotel and Samsung Everland.

Lee Jae-yong will also retain his position of chief operating officer. His sister was promoted directly to president of the hotel and Samsung Everland in charge of management strategy, and will also serve as an adviser to Samsung Corp.

Lee Jae-yong became president 19 years after joining Samsung and his sister took 15 years.

Samsung Group carried out a personnel shake-up of 18 executives, promoting two to vice chairman and nine to president, and reshuffled seven executives. The scale of the reshuffle was smaller than expected, experts say.

Samsung Electronics President Choi Ji-sung was promoted to vice chairman, Samsung Mobile Display President Kang Ho-moon was promoted to vice chairman and transferred to the company’s China headquarters.

With the reshuffle, the electronics giant will be led by Vice Chairman Choi Ji-sung and Lee Jae-yong. With the vice chairman directly leading the China headquarters, Samsung’s Chinese operations are expected to gain further momentum.

Samsung changed the name of its control tower to the Future Strategy Division and appointed six executives, including President Lee Sang-hun, as team leaders. The group will carry out personnel reshuffles at its affiliates next week.

sublime@donga.com