Jay Y. Lee: Samsung Chairman and South Korea's Richest Man

As of April 15, 2026, Jay Y. Lee serves as the executive chairman of Samsung and is recognized as South Korea's richest individual, with a net worth of $25 billion.

Lee reclaimed his position after briefly losing it in 2025 to Michael Kim of MBK Partners. His wealth nearly tripled from a record $21.6 billion, driven by a resurgence in investor confidence in Samsung's semiconductor business amidst a global chip shortage.

Notably, in July 2025, Samsung secured a significant multiyear agreement worth $16.5 billion with Tesla for the manufacturing of AI chips, marking a substantial expansion in its foundry business. In February 2026, Samsung began mass production of its high bandwidth memory (HBM4) chips, crucial for next-generation AI accelerators, helping the company regain its position in the fast-growing AI memory segment.

Lee's leadership has been marked by a strategic repositioning following legal challenges and a presidential pardon in 2022, enabling his return to corporate leadership.