May 15, 2024

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Lee Don-tae, the new head of the Lotte Design Strategy Center (Lotte Group)

South Korean retail giant Lotte Group on Wednesday named Lee Don-tae, former president of the Samsung Art and Design Institute, as its new head of design strategy.

Upon his appointment, Lotte announced that its Lotte Design Management Center has been rebranded as the Lotte Design Strategy Center. Lee will be responsible for overseeing the overall design direction and strategy of Lotte, as well as consulting on key projects across its affiliates.

Born in 1968, Lee started his career in 1989 at Tangerine, a top-tier global design consultancy co-founded by Jonathan Ive, the designer behind Apple's first iPhone. During his 16 years at Tangerine, Lee worked with major companies such as Samsung Electronics, Toyota, Nikon and British Airways.

In 2015, he joined Samsung Electronics' Design Management Center, where he led the global design team and then served as its head, undertaking numerous high-profile projects.

Beyond his hands-on design experience at both Tangerine and Samsung Electronics, Lee is expected to contribute academic insights from his tenure as a professor at Hongik University in Seoul.

By Moon Joon-hyun  (mjh@heraldcorp.com)