The Samsung company is owned and controlled primarily by the Lee family, a prominent South Korean family that founded and has led the conglomerate for decades. Lee Jae-yong (also known as Jay Y. Lee) is the current executive chairman and de facto leader of Samsung. He is the son of Lee Kun-hee, who was chairman until his death in 2020 and credited with transforming Samsung into a global technology giant
. Samsung is structured as a chaebol, a large family-owned business conglomerate in South Korea, with complex cross-ownership among its subsidiaries that helps the Lee family maintain control despite owning a relatively small direct share of Samsung Electronics. For example, Lee Jae- yong holds indirect control through stakes in subsidiaries like Samsung Life Insurance and Samsung C&T, which themselves hold significant shares in Samsung Electronics
. In terms of shareholding, Samsung Electronics is publicly traded, with about 44% of shares held by the general public and around 38% by institutions. The Lee family members, including Lee Jae-yong, hold smaller direct stakes individually but wield control through their influence over the group’s subsidiaries and governance
. In summary:
- Samsung was founded by Lee Byung-chul in 1938.
- Lee Kun-hee, his son, led Samsung from 1987 until his death in 2020.
- Lee Jae-yong, grandson of the founder, is the current executive chairman and main controlling owner.
- The Lee family controls Samsung through a network of subsidiaries and shareholdings typical of South Korean chaebols
Thus, the owner of Samsung is the Lee family, with Lee Jae-yong as the current key figure in ownership and leadership.
