Samsung CEO busy meeting partners at MWC

BARCELONA, Spain ― Top executives of global tech giants attending the Mobile World Congress are busy showcasing their companies’ new products and meeting with partners on the sidelines of the world’s leading mobile device fair.

Samsung Electronics’ mobile business chief Shin Jong-kyun too has his hands full, with the latest smartphones Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge ― potential rivals to mega-hit iPhone 6 and 6 plus ― getting global attention.

The CEO is also using the event to strengthen and broaden partnership with global businesses.

Shin and his troupe of aides, including executive vice president Roh Tae-moon, were spotted by Korean reporters in a downtown area of Barcelona at around 1 p.m. on Sunday, hours before his keynote speech at the event where Samsung was scheduled to unveil the long-awaited new Galaxy phones.

They were meeting a bunch of unidentified foreign businessmen. But a source said they could be important partners of Samsung given that Roh was cordially entertaining them.

Roh, Shin’s right-hand man who has been credited with developing key technologies for Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones, kept smiling and was being a very gracious host.

The executive vice president later denied any meeting with partners, saying it was a casual lunch with Samsung officials. But the sources said his denial reflects the sensitivity of the meeting.

Samsung executives held closed meetings with global mobile carriers including SK Telecom, AT&T, and Sprint to fine-tune the marketing strategies of the new marquee smartphones last month.

When asked about the company’s sales forecast for the new flagship smartphones ― the S6 and S6 Edge ― Roh was not very forthcoming, quipping, “everything depends on consumers.”

Hong Won-pyo, the head of Samsung’s global marketing division, also flocked to the Catalan capital to participate in the mobile trade show and is slated for meetings with global partners.

He told reporters that the S6 and its variant are “unmatchable,” pinning high hopes on the handset sales.

By Kim Young-won, Korea Herald correspondent(wone0102@heraldcorp.com)