I. THE KOREANS
Chairman Lee Byung-chul (B.C. Lee, also known as Chairman Lee I) (19101987). Founder and first chairman of the Samsung Group, from 1938 until his death in October 1987.
Chairman Lee Kun-hee (K.H. Lee, also referred to as Chairman Lee II) (b. 1942). Son of B.C. Lee and second chairman of the Samsung Group, from 1987 to the present, who transformed Samsung into a global nameplate brand. He suffered a heart attack in May 2014 and has not been seen in public since.
Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong (Jay Y. Lee, tapped to become Chairman Lee III) (b. 1968). Son of K.H. Lee and heir apparent to the Samsung empire, he was sentenced to five years in prison for bribery and embezzlement. Released early from prison on appeal, a panel of judges upheld but lessened the extent of his bribery conviction. He awaits retrial after Koreas Supreme Court voided his second ruling, and may be sent back to prison with possibly expanded charges.
Lee Maeng-hee (19312015). Oldest brother among B.C. Lees three sons. He was the favored heir to the Samsung Group before he resigned in 1969, accused by his father of mismanagement.
Lee Mie-kyung (Miky Lee). Daughter of Lee Maeng-hee, niece of Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, and Samsungs emissary to the U.S. entertainment and design industries before leaving to start her own production house, CJ Entertainment, in a partnership with DreamWorks.
Hong Jin-ki (19171986). Samsung founder B.C. Lees political ally and former head of Samsungs JoongAng newspaper. His family forged an alliance with Samsungs founding Lee family. His daughter Hong Ra-hee married Samsung chairman K.H. Lee.
President Park Chung-hee (19171979). Dictator of South Korea starting with his military coup dtat in 1961 and ending with his assassination in 1979. He laid the economic and political foundation for the Korean economic miracle, bolstering companies like Samsung and Hyundai.
President Park Geun-hye. Daughter of dictator Park Chung-hee. As the democratically elected president of South Korea from 2013 to 2017, she was implicated in organizing almost $38 million in bribes from Samsung for her political ally. President Park was removed from office and jailed in March 2017.
Lee Ki-tae (K.T. Lee). No relation to the ruling Lee family. K.T. Lee was the CEO of Samsung Electronics mobile phone unit from 2000 to 2007. He started out as a factory floor manager; as CEO of Samsungs mobile phone unit, he elevated the quality and durability of Samsung mobile phones and brought them to the U.S. market.
Hwang Chang-gyu. President of Samsungs semiconductors unit from 2004 to 2008, and chief technology officer of Samsung Electronics from 2008 to 2010. Hwang made a key deal with Apples Steve Jobs in 2005 to supply chips for the iPod and later the iPhone, spurring Samsungs explosive growth.
Choi Gee-sung (G.S. Choi). Formerly the powerful lieutenant to Samsungs ruling Lee family and head of the Future Strategy Office, Samsungs highest body that houses many of the elite executives, known as the Tower. Now serving a five-year prison sentence for bribery and embezzlement.
Shin Jong-kyun (J.K. Shin). CEO of Samsungs mobile unit from March 2013 to December 2015. He oversaw the kick-starting of the Galaxy smartphone line and helped to initiate the smartphone wars against Apple.
Koh Dong-jin (D.J. Koh). Successor to J.K. Shin and CEO of Samsungs mobile unit from December 2015 to the present. He oversaw the recall and cancellation of the Galaxy Note 7 after the product began catching fire.
Sohn Dae-il (Dale). CEO of Samsung Telecommunications America from 2006 to August 2013. He helped lead the smartphone wars against Apple.
II. THE AMERICANS
Peter Arnell. Hired by Chairman Lee II to bring cutting-edge, fashion-based advertising to Samsung products in the mid-1990s, when the company was known as a manufacturer. Former head of the Arnell Group in New York.
Gordon Bruce. Design professor at ArtCenter in Pasadena, California. Co-founder of the Innovative Design Lab of Samsung (IDS) from 1995 to 1998.
Pete Skarzynski. Vice president for sales and marketing at Samsungs American unit from 1997 to 2007. With K.T. Lee, he brought Samsung mobile phones to the American market.
Eric Kim. Executive vice president and then chief marketing officer at Samsung Electronics from 1999 to 2004. Through his branding and advertising campaigns, Samsung overtook Sony in brand value and sales by the mid-2000s.
Todd Pendleton. Chief marketing officer at Samsungs American mobile unit from 2011 to 2015. Led advertising efforts against Apple during the Samsung-versus-Apple smartphone wars.