Samsung Realigns its Head of Mobile Design

Samsung’s head of mobile design Chang Dong-hoon has not actually resigned due to criticism over latest Galaxy S5 smartphone. Samsung has made a realignment by shifting his EVP to Head Of Design Strategy at the company’s corporate design center. Vice President Min-hyouk Lee replaced Chang. Lee has now become the Head of Design Team within the Mobile Communications Business of Samsung Electronics.

Samsung Electronics is reportedly facing criticism over Galaxy S5’s lukewarm reception. And it looks like that this criticism forced the world’s biggest smartphone maker to replace his head of mobile design.

It was reported first by Reuters that Samsung’s head of mobile design team has resigned amid criticism of the latest Galaxy S smartphone.

“Chang Dong-hoon offered to resign last week and will be replaced by Lee Min-hyouk, vice president for mobile design,” stated Reuters. However, Samsung told Engadget that it’s not a resignation, but a “realignment” for Chang’s role at Samsung. 

Actually Samsung has just replaced his head of mobile design Dong-hoon Chang. Giant smartphone maker has promoted its VP Min-hyouk Lee as Head of Design Team within the Mobile Communications Business of Samsung Electronics. 

While the role of EVP Dong-hoon Chang is being redlining. Chang will now work as Head of Design Strategy Team at Samsung’s corporate design center. And Reuters report also states in the end that Chang “will continue to lead Samsung’s design center which overseas its overall design strategy.”

42 years old Dong-hoon Chang is a former professor who studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He has played a vital role in designing Samsung’s world famous and successful Galaxy series. Chang became Samsung’s youngest senior executive in 2010 due to the success of Galaxy line of smartphones.  

However, Samsung’s latest Galaxy S5 smartphone has received lukewarm response from both critics and consumers. And it is reported that Chang is replaced due to the criticism on S5’s plastic case design (criticized over cheap looks and made out of a conveyor belt.) 

Samsung issues an official statement today about the change of roles for the two executives. Samsung states: “Vice President Min-hyouk Lee has recently been promoted to Head of Design Team within the Mobile Communications Business of Samsung Electronics. The realignment enables Executive Vice President Dong-hoon Chang to focus more on his role as Head of Design Strategy Team, the company’s corporate design center which is responsible for long-term design strategy across all of Samsung Electronics’ businesses, including Mobile Communications.”