Who Is Park Hakkyu, Samsung's First Head of the Business Support Office... An Integrated Leader in Finance and Strategy

Business Support TF Elevated to Permanent 'Business Support Office'
Chung Hyunho Moves to Chairman's Advisor Role... Focus on Nurturing Successors
Internal Leadership Reshuffle Includes Choi Yunho, Joo Changhoon, and Moon Heedong
Strengthening Gr

On November 7, Samsung Electronics announced a reorganization of its management support structure, appointing President Park Hakkyu as the new head of the Business Support Office, following the retirement of Vice Chairman Chung Hyunho from the front lines of management. As a result, the existing Business Support Task Force (TF) has been elevated to the status of the Business Support Office, becoming a permanent organization tasked with strengthening company-wide collaboration at the group level.

Park, the newly appointed head, was born in 1964, graduated from Cheongju High School and Seoul National University with a degree in business administration, and earned a master's degree from KAIST. He began his career in the finance team of Samsung's Secretariat and previously served as head of the Management Diagnosis Team in the former Future Strategy Office, establishing himself as an expert in finance and strategy.

An industry insider commented, "He is a finance expert with a comprehensive understanding of both the semiconductor and home appliance divisions," adding, "He is the right person for the job, as he is capable of both identifying organizational weaknesses and strengths through management diagnosis."

Park is recognized within Samsung as an expert in both finance and strategy, often referred to internally as both a "finance expert" and a "planning expert." He is also known as a close aide who has worked alongside Chairman Lee Jae-yong since the latter received management training from the late former Chairman Lee Kun-hee. Since Park was assigned to the Business Support TF, he has been considered a likely successor to Chung Hyunho.

In 2020, Park was promoted to president when he became head of the Management Support Office for the DS Division, and since 2022, he has served as the group’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), overseeing financial strategy. Since the end of 2024, he has been in charge of the Business Support TF, overseeing support functions for the semiconductor business.

With this personnel change, Vice Chairman Chung has been reassigned as "Chairman’s Advisor." A Samsung Electronics official stated, "The position of 'Chairman’s Advisor' did not previously exist," and explained, "Vice Chairman Chung’s move should be understood as a retirement to make way for the next generation."

Regarding this organizational transition, Samsung Electronics explained, "It is true that the Business Support TF has been renamed the Business Support Office and made into a permanent organization, but it should not be seen as a revival of the former Future Strategy Office as a control tower. Rather, it will operate as a single division, similar to the DS and DX divisions."

Additionally, in this personnel reshuffle, President Choi Yunho, formerly head of the Management Diagnosis Office, has been reassigned as head of strategy for the Business Support Office, and Vice President Joo Changhoon has been appointed head of the management diagnosis team. Vice President Moon Heedong, previously with the Business Support TF, will now lead the People Team at the Business Support Office.

Within and outside Samsung, this personnel move is interpreted as an effort to place Park, a close aide to Chairman Lee and a recognized finance expert, at the forefront to enhance synergy among the company’s various businesses. It is also seen as a strategy to strengthen the group leadership’s ability to coordinate overall strategy.