Samsung kicks off strategy meetings amid global market challenges

Seoul: Samsung Electronics has begun executive-level meetings to discuss business strategies for the second half of the year amid growing uncertainties in global markets, industry sources said on Tuesday.

The biannual meetings, held in June and December, are led by the heads of each business division. Executives review regional and business-specific issues and discuss sales strategies and goals for the upcoming months, reports Yonhap news agency.

The three-day session, scheduled to run through Thursday, is expected to focus on navigating mounting global uncertainties, including shifting trade policies under U.S. President Donald Trump’s second administration and escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Executives will also assess supply chain vulnerabilities and consider region-specific responses, the sources said.

As in previous years, Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong is not expected to attend.

The DX division is set to review launch plans for the latest versions of Samsung’s foldable smartphones — the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 — as well as regional marketing strategies.

The division is also expected to discuss measures in response to the inclusion of home appliances on the list of derivatives subject to a 50 percent U.S. tariff on steel imports.

The DS division, which oversees Samsung’s semiconductor business, is expected to hold in-depth discussions on sales strategies and ways to enhance long-term competitiveness.

Samsung lost its top spot in the global dynamic random access memory (DRAM) market to SK hynix Inc. in the first quarter and continues to face challenges in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and foundry operations.

Samsung’s global DRAM market share fell to 34.4 percent in the first quarter from 38.6 percent the previous quarter. In contrast, SK hynix’s share rose from 36 percent to 36.9 percent, overtaking Samsung for the first time, according to market research firm Omdia.

—IANS