Samsung Hires Former Apple Director Choi Jae-in to Strengthen Leadership Team

Samsung is bolstering its leadership team by hiring top talent in the industry. Alongside appointing Mauro Porcini as its new Chief Design Officer (CDO), the Korean firm recently hired Choi Jae-in to lead development efforts. A former director at Apple, Choi Jae-in joined Samsung’s Mobile eXperience division as Vice President.

Samsung bolsters leadership with talent from several global companies

In its recent Q1 2025 earnings report (via Koreaherald), Samsung revealed that it hired many talented people from global companies earlier this year. It snapped up leaders from arch-rival Apple, as well as Siemens, Qualcomm, and General Motors. Choi Jae-in stands out as a notable addition to Samsung’s leadership team.

The former Apple director holds a Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology. As mentioned above, he is now part of Samsung’s Mobile eXperience division as Vice President. In case you are not aware, this division is responsible for developing and launching Galaxy smartphones, tablets, wearables, and other mobile devices.

This decision is part of a larger effort by Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who wants to hire the best talent in key business segments. Lee previously said, “First is technology, second is technology and third is also technology. We must recruit and foster top-tier talent who may even surpass current leadership, regardless of nationality or gender.”

Last month, Samsung appointed Mauro Porcini, former CDO of PepsiCo, as President and Chief Design Officer. The firm said it aims to improve its design capabilities across all business areas, including mobile, TV, and home appliances. And now, hiring talent who previously worked for the company’s biggest rival suggests that it has a broader plan to push its smartphone business with new form factors in the future.

Meanwhile, Samsung aims to expand its existing business through large-scale mergers and acquisitions (M&A). It has also established the New Business Task Force (TF), which will look for future growth strategies and business opportunities. The company has already begun executing its plan with the year’s biggest acquisition — it acquired all shares of FlaktGroup, a leading global HVAC solutions provider, for $1.68 billion.