Beginning in the display division, Han had been employed at Samsung for more than 30 years. He was a major contributor to Samsung becoming the world leader in TV production.
Samsung Electronics said that Han Jong-hee, its co-CEO, died on Tuesday from a heart attack. Han, 63, passed away while undergoing medical care in a hospital. A successor has not yet been announced by Samsung.
Han was in charge of Samsung’s mobile devices and consumer electronics division, while co-CEO Jun Young-hyun is in charge of the semiconductor division. Samsung Electronics’ stock held steady throughout morning trading in spite of the news.
Han began his career in the display division and has been with Samsung for more than 30 years. Through his efforts, Samsung overtook Japanese firms like Sony as the world’s largest TV manufacturer. Over the years, he oversaw Samsung’s smartphone division in a battle with Apple and oversaw the company’s home appliances business.
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into Samsung’s Galaxy devices was Han’s recent priority. The business implemented AI chips in household goods such as vacuum cleaners, washing machines, and refrigerators when he was in charge.
Analyticsinsight.net estimates that as of November 30, 2024, Han’s net worth was around $971,291.
The unexpected passing of Han occurs at a crucial moment for Samsung. The business is attempting to catch up to SK Hynix Inc. in the AI memory chip market while also navigating the sluggish consumer electronics demand.
In his speech to Samsung’s shareholders just last week, Han acknowledged that 2025 would be a difficult year. In order to fuel future expansion, he gave investors his word that the business intended to explore mergers and acquisitions.
Following Han’s death, Samsung’s semiconductor division is still led by Jun Young-hyun, but the corporation now needs to find new executives for its other key divisions.
