Samsung Electronics on Tuesday announced it has named Koh Dong-jin, executive vice president in charge of mobile R&D, to lead the company’s flagship mobile business division that has been struggling with profitability despite increased device sales.

Shin Jong-kyun, the current mobile business chief who has been affectionately called “Mr. Galaxy,” will step back from day-to-day operations to focus more on long-term strategy and fostering new growth businesses, the company said. He still retains the title of president and CEO.

The new mobile chief Koh, a surprise appointment, has led the development of the company’s latest phones such as the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy Note 5 phablets. He was also involved in developing the company's software solutions such as Samsung Pay and the KNOX mobile security platform. 

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)