Since Choi Yoon-ho, former CEO of Samsung SDI, took the helm of the Management Diagnosis Office at Samsung Global Research (formerly the Samsung Economic Research Institute) late last year, a significant transformation has been taking place within the organization. The institute, once focused mainly on market research and consulting, is now increasingly tied to Samsung Electronics’ business divisions, signaling a shift toward performance-driven research and operational alignment.
Closer Collaboration Between Research and Business Divisions
According to industry sources on June 11, Samsung Global Research is no longer limiting itself to providing research and consulting services. Instead, it is now directly collaborating with Samsung Electronics on core technologies like IT and artificial intelligence (AI), sharing research output and raising the level of cooperation. Employees from the institute are reportedly dispatched weekly to Samsung Electronics’ Suwon headquarters, where they engage in regular collaboration with business units and work to translate research into commercial outcomes. What was once a separate, siloed research and consulting unit is now closely interwoven with frontline operations.
Choi Yoon-ho: A Strategist at the Center of Samsung’s Transformation
This change gained momentum with the establishment of the Management Diagnosis Office within Samsung Global Research late last year. At that time, Samsung appointed Choi Yoon-ho—then CEO of Samsung SDI—as head of the newly created unit. Since then, the office has not only offered consulting services across all business divisions—analyzing management structures, workflows, and organizational issues—but also begun dispatching personnel directly to support deeper collaboration.
Choi brings an extensive background in strategic leadership within Samsung. He has held key roles such as Head of Management Support for Samsung’s European operations, positions in the Future Strategy Office, the Business Support Task Force, and served as Chief of Management Support at Samsung Electronics. As CEO of Samsung SDI, he was credited with laying the foundation for the company’s battery business growth. Notably, between 2010 and 2014, he was a member of Strategy Team 1 within the powerful Future Strategy Office, earning him a reputation as one of Samsung’s top strategic minds. He is reportedly trusted by Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Vice Chairman Jung Hyun-ho of the Business Support TF.
Restructuring Design and Diagnosing Semiconductor Weaknesses
Under Choi’s leadership, Samsung Global Research’s management diagnostics are rapidly reshaping Samsung Electronics’ internal structure. Just last month, Samsung renamed its Design Management Center to “Chief Design Officer (CDO)” and reorganized it under the Device Experience (DX) division. This came less than a month after hiring global design expert Mauro Porcini as Head of Design, quickly followed by team restructuring and talent recruitment—moves that reflect Samsung’s intention to treat design as a core driver of DX competitiveness.
Meanwhile, management evaluations are underway for Samsung’s unprofitable Foundry and System LSI divisions, both of which posted multi-trillion won losses in recent quarters. The Foundry division continues to fall further behind Taiwan’s TSMC in market share and is narrowing the gap with third-place SMIC of China. Samsung Global Research’s analysts are studying global case studies and key success factors, aiming to have both direct and indirect impact on Samsung’s semiconductor strategy going forward.
Culture Shift: From Academic to Performance-Oriented
As Samsung Global Research takes on some of the responsibilities traditionally handled by Samsung’s central control tower, the organization is also undergoing a cultural shift. Performance-based management is replacing its former academic orientation. A source familiar with Samsung noted, “Samsung Global Research and its related units are transitioning from a scholarly environment to one that demands field results. There is a growing understanding that unless a team contributes meaningfully to the business divisions, it will not survive within the organization.”
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