Samsung Names Dongjin Koh As New Mobile Communications Head
It seems that rumors of Samsung's restructuring has come to pass. Although J. K. Shin, who has become the public face of Samsung's mobile division, will continue to hold an overarching role in that business, he will be handing over most of the day to day operations to a new chief. At its annual personnel appointments announcement, Samsung has revealed that Dongjin Koh, former head of Samsung's mobile research and development, will be taking over as the company's president for mobile communications, leaving Shin with a more supervisorial role.
The slight reshuffling of executives comes at a time when Samsung has repeatedly failed to regain its lead in the global mobile market. Although it relatively does better than most of its competitors, save Apple, Samsung's profits have been in a near steady decline year after year, raising concern over the company's profitability in the mobile market as well as the stability of said market in general.
To be fair, Samsung has not been stubborn or too proud to initiate changes to address its most criticized misfeatures. For example, it has finally switched to a more premium metal build for its flagships, ditching its love for plastic but at the expense of also removing data storage expansion and removable batteries. It has also refined its designs, streamlined its oft criticized bloated software, and cut prices when needed. Still, those measures were not enough to keep its finances from slipping.
To add to its worries, Samsung's rivals in the mobile space are strengthening their onslaught from both sides of the globe. You have Apple from the West slowly but surely gaining traction in key Asian markets like China. And from China, manufacturers like Xiaomi and Huawei and besting Samsung's devices in the global market when it comes to bang for the buck.
This reorganization is, however, but a small step in trying to reclaim its throne. Up until now, Dongjin Koh's presence in the company has not been much of a public matter. It remains to be seen what the R&&D chief will be able to bring to the table in order to pull Samsung out of its slump once and for all.
SOURCE: Reuters