Samsung wants to beat Apple by hiring President of Jony Ive’s Old Firm as Design Head

Samsung has sought the services of a new designer on the scene…Lee Don-tae. Samsung’s New Global Design Cheif Lee Don-tae is the Former Co-President of Apple Designer Jony Ive’s Old Firm Tangerine. His abilities as a design king will be tested at Samsung.

Samsung is facing designing hassles. But it has the situation covered. In accordance with its chairman’s point or order, which he made about two decades ago, that in the 21st century it will be design that will be the stumbling block, the company finds itself in a fix.

Samsung has steadily improved its design capabilities. However, while its rival Apple has been receiving award after award for its excellent design strategies, Samsung seems to have been left in the lurch as far as its current design philosophy is concerned.

Now finally the South Korean tech firm has taken on board the head of Tangerine, Lee Don-tae who is a designer par excellence. According to JoongAng Daily, Lee will head the global design team as an able captain at Samsung.

Let’s see how Samsung fares with this visionary at the helm of its design department. Lee became the Co-President of Tangerine in just seven short years after joining it an an intern.

Interesting thing is that Tangerine was founded by Jonathan Ive, who is now working as Apple’s SVP of design. Ive joined Apple in 1992 and he is the main mind behind the designs of the iPhone, iPad and iOS7.

Samsung has already hired another Apple executive, Tim Gudgel, who was the man behind Apple’s retail store design. Now Samsung is aiming to beat Apple in the design field with help of Lee’s abilities.

Lee is expected to bring his hard-won skills to Samsung. Designing runs in his blood and he is not just any ordinary designer. He is a definer, refiner and miner of images and colors and lines. 

Lee has a diploma from the UK in designing. He was responsible for redesigning the seating arrangments in British Airways business class in an “S” shaped manner so as to allow for greater space.

British Airways benefited immensely from this re-designing done by Lee. According to Lee, design is not just about self-fulfillment but about minimizing any risks to the company one was showing fidelity to.

Lee sincerely hopes to help out Samsung in its long term goals. He will move heaven and earth to make the company look out for #1. It is precisely design that will make the difference in the company’s future prospects. And it is here that foresight is of the essence.

Samsung’s innovation spurt is about to become even more volcanic in nature pretty soon. With Lee at the wheel, Samsung will itself get redesigned for the better. The man is a virtual dynamo and live wire.

His feedback and fantastic leadership will act as a booster shot in the arm for Samsung. This is one nifty individual who has the designing chops to take Samsung into the 21st century with style and passion.