Lee Kun-hee (1942-2020) was a South Korean businessman and the third son of Samsung founder Lee Byung-chul. He served as chairman of the Samsung Group from 1987 to 2008 and chairman of Samsung Electronics from 2010 until his death in 2020, making him a key member of the Lee family that controls the Samsung conglomerate. Joining Samsung in 1966 after studying economics at Waseda University and earning an MBA at George Washington University, he transformed the company from a producer of low-quality electronics into a global leader in semiconductors, smartphones, memory chips, appliances, shipbuilding, and construction. His 'New Management' initiative, launched in 1993, emphasized product quality, innovation, employee input, and promotion of women to senior roles, leading Samsung to become the world's largest manufacturer in key sectors and increasing its market capitalization over 300 times. He was South Korea's richest person since 2007, with a net worth of US$21 billion at death, and ranked among the world's most powerful by Forbes in 2014. Born in Daegu during Japanese colonial rule, he was an avid sportsman who led the Korean Amateur Wrestling Association and supported baseball and athletics. Married to Hong Ra-hee, he had four children: Lee Jae-yong, Lee Boo-jin, Lee Seo-hyun, and Lee Yoon-hyung (deceased). He suffered a heart attack in 2014, remaining bedridden until his death in Seoul on October 25, 2020. His tenure faced controversies, including convictions in 1996 for bribing former President Roh Tae-woo (pardoned shortly after) and in 2008 for embezzlement, tax evasion, and illegal share transfers to his children (pardoned in 2009), as well as Samsung's implication in the 2016-2017 scandal involving President Park Geun-hye. He was a central figure in Elliott Management's 2015 activist campaign.