Samsung reshuffles semiconductor execs after poor performance in memory and NAND competitiveness

Samsung Electronics has revamped its leadership team to strengthen its memory and foundry chip divisions as it strives to compete with rivals SK hynix and TSMC in the rapidly growing AI market. The rearrangement includes significant promotions and role changes. Still, we can only wonder how this reshuffling can ultimately address issues with Samsung’s product and technology offerings, as noticed by analysts questioned by Reuters.

Young Hyun Jun, Vice Chairman and Head of the Device Solutions (DS) Division (which oversees all of Samsung’s semiconductor operations) has been promoted to the CEO role, highlighting the importance of semiconductors for the company. He will also oversee the Memory Business and lead the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, which will give him additional knobs to influence how Samsung advances its semiconductor and memory technologies.

Jinman Han, who was in charge of Samsung’s semiconductor operations in the U.S. as EVP of Device Solutions America, has been promoted to President and will head the Foundry Business. The appointment highlights the importance of American customers for Samsung’s foundry business.

Seok Woo Nam, who has experience in semiconductor process development and manufacturing and was head of fab engineering and operations, steps into the newly established role of Chief Technology Officer of Foundry Business. This again emphasizes that microelectronics is now one of Samsung’s most important businesses.

According to Reuters, despite these changes, Chung Hyun-ho remains head of the Business Support Task Force, a key decision-making group closely tied to Chairman Jay Y. Lee. This continuity has disappointed analysts who hoped for broader leadership reforms to address perceived strategic missteps that delayed Samsung’s adaptation to AI market demands.

Also, Samsung promoted people who were, in one way or another, responsible for the company’s foundry and memory roadmaps. The company is rumored to suffer from low yields when it comes to foundry, so it fails to land strategically important orders from large clients. As for HBM3E memory, Samsung is behind SK hynix in terms of market share and is behind both Micron and SK hynix in terms of validation by Nvidia. This does not necessarily negatively affect its business as once memory is qualified, it is shipped in high volumes for quarters and years.

In summary, while Samsung is evidently trying to address issues with its memory and foundry businesses, it remains to be seen whether it does enough.