Top Samsung executives to keep current positions

It’s safe to say that Samsung has not been having the best year. Last week, the industry was speculating that the mobile giant would be replacing the current head of its mobile division, J.K. Shin, in an attempt to rejuvenate its smartphone business. B.K. Yoon was hotly tipped as his replacement, but Samsung has now stated that it won’t be making any changes to its executive management.

Samsung’s top executives have all managed to retain their roles. However,  D.J Lee, Samsung’s head of mobile sales and marketing, is apparently taking responsibility for the recent spate of poor smartphone sales and will be stepping down, according to sources close to the matter. Lee was one of the mobile division’s more public futures, having taken to the stage in September at the launch of the Galaxy Note 4.

The scope of personnel reshuffling is narrower than it has been before – June Lee, Samsung’s Corporate Strategy Office

Despite the lack of a reshuffle, other senior managers at the company may still be in line for replacement in the coming months. Local media sources are reporting two that two other president-level executives have also left the company, although Samsung has declined to comment.

The subdued nature of this reshuffle may simply be delaying a bigger shake-up. Industry watchers are suggesting that chairman Jay Y Lee may not be wishing to make drastic changes just yet as his father, chairman Lee Kun-hee, is ailing in the hospital after suffering a heart attack. The tech giant is also restructuring its operations to help cut costs, so perhaps a large change in executive management would have been too much too quickly.

However, pressure on Samsung’s executives will surely continue to increase if mobile sales do not improve in the near future. The first half of 2015 is going to be a testing time for the smartphone giant.