Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., electronic component arm of South Korean conglomerate Samsung Group, appointed Han Min-koo, Samsung Electro-Mechanics outside director and Seoul National University professor emeritus as its new chairman of the board, the company disclosed after the board of directors meeting held on Friday.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics held a general shareholders meeting in Seoul on Friday, prior to the board meeting on the same day, and voted for policy change on its board chair election method. Executive Vice President Jung Kwang-young of Samsung Electro-Mechanic’s management support team was also named as a new director at the conference.

It is the first time for a Samsung Group subsidiary to open up the board chair position to outside members, Samsung Group said. Other units including Samsung Electronics Co. and Samsung C&T Corp. also held general stockholders’ meetings on Friday and announced that they revised their board chairman appointment policy to allow the position to outside directors. Until now, chief executive officials automatically and singularly co-headed the board of directors at Samsung Group affiliates.

“The company plans to continue seeking and nurturing new ventures such as next generation electronic modules including communication modules, automotive cameras and passive components that will lead its future growth through technological convergence and innovation,” said Lee Yun-tae, Samsung Electro-Mechanics chief executive officer (CEO) and president. Moreover, the company pledges to adopt more aggressive actions to innovate its manufacturing process and continue to bolster production efficiency as well as defend its core business sectors against its rivals, said the CEO. The company also plans to diversify its clientele by expanding its presence in China and making inroads into new markets, stressed Lee.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics’ new Chairman of the Board of Directors Han Min-koo has served as a non-executive director at the company since 2011, and previously headed Korean Association of Academic Societies, Korean Association for Industrial Technology Security (KAITS) and Korea Institute of Patent Information board.

By Lee Seung-hoon

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