Samsung Electronics Co. said Tuesday that its mobile chief J.K. Shin and another co-chief executive officer would step back from day-to-day operations, as the South Korean technology giant looks to new leadership to revive its once-booming smartphone business.
Samsung, which announced the moves as part of its annual year-end reshuffling, will hand over the reins of its mobile communications business to D.J. Koh, a lieutenant of Mr. Shin who as head of mobile research and development oversaw the development of Samsung’s mobile operating system, Tizen, and its mobile payment system, Samsung Pay.
Meanwhile, B.K. Yoon, the head of the consumer electronics division that oversees Samsung’s televisions and home appliances businesses, will no longer lead the home appliances division and would focus on "long-term strategy," the company said in the statement. Like Mr. Shin, Mr. Yoon will retain his title as co-CEO of Samsung Electronics.
The company’s decision to take Mr. Shin out of his day-to-day role comes after a bruising two years for Samsung’s mobile division. Last year’s update of Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S smartphone series flopped with consumers, and Mr. Shin fumbled the release of this year’s more popular update, the Galaxy S6 and its curved-screen companion the Galaxy S6 Edge.