Lee Jae Yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, has stepped into the role of a sports diplomat. During the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, he met with world leaders, including Italian President Sergio Mattarella and U.S. Vice President JD Vance. Lee also engaged in business discussions with global executives like Li Dongsheng, chairman of TCL, and Oliver Bäte, chairman of Allianz, significantly expanding his management reach.
On Friday, Lee attended the opening of the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. He seized the opportunity to network with top officials from various countries and multinational corporations, bolstering sports diplomacy and global connections.
Lee arrived in Milan on Thursday and that evening attended an exclusive gala dinner hosted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). As the sole representative of a top IOC sponsor (TOP), his presence was particularly noteworthy.
At the dinner, Lee rubbed shoulders with an impressive array of global leaders. The guest list included IOC Chair Kirsty Coventry, Italian President Mattarella, U.S. Vice President Vance, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, Polish President Andrzej Duda, and Hungarian President Katalin Novák.
Lee’s networking extended to the business world as well. He met with influential figures such as Li Dongsheng of TCL, Oliver Bäte of Allianz, Omega CEO Reinaldo Ashleyman, Anheuser-Busch InBev Chairman Michel Doukeris, Mengyu Chairman Gao Fei, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, P&G CEO Shailesh Yeurikar, Visa CEO Ryan McInerney, Deloitte CEO Joseph Ukuzoglu, and Coca-Cola Company Chairman James Quincey.
An industry insider said the IOC gala dinner was more than a social event, describing it as a platform for behind-the-scenes diplomacy where global affairs and business issues are discussed. The source added that Lee Jae Yong’s participation not only elevates Samsung Electronics’ global standing but also significantly strengthens Korea’s sports diplomacy capabilities.
This marks Lee’s return to Olympic sports diplomacy, two years after his involvement in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
During the Paris Games, Lee attended an exclusive luncheon at the Élysée Palace, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. There, he networked with global business titans including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Coca-Cola Company CEO James Quincey, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks, and LVMH Chairman Bernard Arnault, further expanding his international connections.
The Olympics, as a global spectacle, present an unparalleled marketing opportunity. Samsung Electronics capitalized on this by providing Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition phones to athletes through its Victory Selfie program. The sight of athletes snapping selfies with the device garnered worldwide attention.
Reflecting on the Paris Olympics, Lee said he was pleased to see the athletes perform well. He added that the marketing initiative in which athletes took selfies with the Galaxy Z Flip6 appeared to be a success, which he found gratifying.
Sports diplomacy is deeply ingrained in the Samsung family tradition.
Samsung’s Olympic sponsorship dates back to the era of the late Chairman Lee Kun Hee. Notably, he served as an IOC member from 1996 to 2017, playing a pivotal role in securing the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics for South Korea.
Samsung’s commitment to the Olympics is longstanding, having been a TOP sponsor for 30 consecutive years since 1997. The company plans to continue this partnership through the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
In 2018, Lee Jae Yong met with IOC President Thomas Bach to extend Samsung’s Olympic sponsorship contract from its initial 2020 expiration to 2028. This decision aligns with the late Lee Kun Hee’s vision of Samsung shouldering responsibility as a flagship Korean corporation.
An industry expert said Samsung’s Olympic sponsorship goes beyond simple brand visibility, calling it a masterful blend of the spirit of challenge in sports and Samsung’s innovative image, and describing it as one of the most successful sports marketing campaigns in history.