Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong Intensifies Global Talent Hunt
Samsung Electronics is accelerating its global talent acquisition under a direct mandate from Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who has instructed the company to "recruit and nurture exceptional talent regardless of nationality or gender."
Samsung's most significant recent acquisition is Margaret Han, a former TSMC and NXP Semiconductors executive who joined Samsung Device Solutions Americas in March 2025 as Executive Vice President for North American foundry operations. Han brings 21 years of experience from TSMC, where she handled North American business and customer relations.
Han's appointment comes as Samsung seeks to strengthen its position in the US foundry market by securing large foundry orders from big tech customers such as Nvidia Corp., Tesla Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. The company is banking on its $17 billion chip fabrication plant in Taylor, Texas, though production has been delayed to 2026.
Samsung's foundry market share dropped from 9.1% to 8.1% in Q4 2024, while TSMC's share rose to 67.1%. Reports indicate Samsung's foundry business is expected to face operating losses amounting to several trillion Korean won in 2024, though the company doesn't disclose specific foundry division figures.
Samsung's overall Q4 2024 operating profit of 6.5 trillion won ($4.5 billion) fell 29% from the previous quarter, missing analyst expectations due to struggles with AI chip development and foundry performance.
Beyond semiconductors, Samsung has recruited executives from Apple, Siemens, Qualcomm, and General Motors. Recent appointments include former Tommy Hilfiger North America President Sofia Huang-Judiesch as Global Head of Retail Strategy and renowned industrial designer Mauro Porcini as Chief Design Officer.
Industry sources report Samsung's HR departments are actively scouting Silicon Valley, reflecting the urgency behind Lee's directive to address widening technology gaps.
Lee Jae-yong's emphasis reflects his commitment to continuing the "talent first" philosophy established by his grandfather, Samsung founder Lee Byung-chul. Lee has personally attended the Ho-Am Prize ceremony for four consecutive years and donated substantial sums: 400 million won in 2021, 200 million won each in 2022 and 2023, and 1 billion won in 2024.
In a recent video message, Lee told employees "Samsung is facing a do-or-die survival issue. We need to reflect deeply from the top". At an executive seminar, he emphasized "First technology, second technology, third technology" and the need to "recruit exceptional talent regardless of nationality or gender, superior even to management."
Samsung employed 124,070 people in South Korea as of June 2024, reaching an all-time high, with the company unveiling a goal to hire 80,000 new employees over five years. Samsung remains the only major Korean conglomerate maintaining regular recruitment cycles.
With substantial cash reserves and the Margaret Han appointment serving as a key test case, Samsung's aggressive talent strategy represents a critical effort to close performance gaps with competitors like TSMC in the rapidly evolving technology landscape.
