The latest information from Business Korea confirms that Samsung Electronics has hired two former Ericsson executives. Samsung has taken this move to expand its telecommunications equipment business by bringing on board the experience of the two former Ericsson executives.
Henrik Jansson, formerly the strategic sourcing manager for Ericsson, has been named to lead the Strategy Task Force (TF) that Samsung has recently established under its network division. The other former Ericsson executive, Jo Mi-Sun, who was recruited alongside Jansson, has been given the charge of sales and new business development in Europe. She previously was the head of sustainability and corporate responsibility at Ericsson.
Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-Yong chose telecommunications equipment as one of the company's flagship businesses. This is not a new strategy, and Lee has been promoting the network business since 2011 when 3G was widely used, while 4G services were recently introduced to the picture. Samsung Networks successfully supplied 5G mobile communication equipment to NTT DoCoMo in November last year, all thanks to Lee's global networks. NTT DoCoMo is Japan's No. 1 wireless carrier.
Another example of Lee's global strategy was when, in 2022, Samsung managed to seal a 5G communication equipment supply contract with DISH Network in the US, while Samsung's chairman Lee and the chairman of DISH, Charlie Ergen, went on a hike. Back in 2020 as well, Lee met with Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg, discussed the cooperation between the two giants, and struck a long-term mega 5G contract worth KRW 7.9 trillion (around $6.43 billion).
