Q&A: Samsung’s Managing Director for South Africa

Samsung has appointed Deon Liebenberg as the Managing Director for Samsung Electronics South Africa, and we caught up with him to find out what his plans for South Africa are, his favourite gadgets and how important it is to expand further into Africa.

Before his recent appointment, Liebenberg was the Regional Director for Sub Sahara Africa at Research In Motion, makers of the Blackberry devices.

* Since taking over as Managing Director, what are your plans for Samsung in Africa?

My appointment at Samsung is to drive the market share and brand presence of Samsung in South Africa – so this is where my regional focus will lie.

* How important is it to expand further up north, instead of focussing on SA alone?

Certainly one cannot be done without the other.  South Africa is a strong market for the consumer electronics segment and the opportunities that exist for all our products is very strong.  However, as with all well run businesses, growth into new markets also forms part of its over-competitive business offerings and therefore Africa will continue to be a growth area for the company.

* Do you have any big plans for Samsung as Managing Director in the local market?

This is an exciting business, which presents a number of growth opportunities locally – not only from the expansion of our products into a wider channel, but of course through some strong customer branding experiences.  So broadly speaking, my focus is to cultivate an environment for future growth that will support new businesses and cement our leadership in South Africa – this means building sustainable product lines and business units internally and focusing on key differentiations across all divisions with a strong focus on delighting our customers.

* What is your favourite gadget and why?

I love technology and I am a gadget fan! I have a number of favourites, but I have to say the new Samsung Galaxy S II is fast becoming a strong contender for me.

* How do you feel about current-generation 3D televisions?

Current 3D TVs are closing the gap between passive and active consumption of viewing where consumers can get access a range of great applications and functionality, as well as engage in 3D viewing with devices that offer an incredible experience interchangeably.

This means today, consumers can use their TVs for a range of other value added services including social networking, downloading of 3D content for free and surfing the Internet – a smart life without limitations!

Charlie Fripp – Consumer Tech editor