Baxter Named New Samsung EVP

By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 12/26/2006

Ridgefield Park, N.J. — Samsung Electronics America has named 10-year Sony executive Tim Baxter the new Consumer Electronics Division (CED) sales and marketing executive VP, replacing Peter Weedfald, who left the company last summer to join Circuit City.

Baxter will oversee Samsung’s visual display (LCD, plasma, CRT and microdisplay) and Digital A/V (Blu-ray Disc, DVD recorders/players, home and portable audio, and camcorders) products categories, and will report to Samsung CED president J.S. Park.

Over the past 10 years with Sony, Baxter has risen through a succession of titles to become Sony strategic marketing senior VP. He took a central role in the launch of the Blu-ray Disc format, working to garner Hollywood studio support and coordinating a horizontal launch strategy that encompassed advertising, promotions and public relations activities.

At different points in his tenure with Sony, he had profit-and-loss marketing responsibilities for the TV, home audio, home video and telecom businesses.

Prior to joining Sony, Baxter spent 13 years at AT&T consumer products handling marketing, product management and sales for various categories in the residential phone business.

“As a technology leader in all four HDTV divisions, and after pioneering the Blu-ray category with the industry’s first Blu-ray player, it is essential for Samsung to have a seasoned veteran heading our multibillion dollar consumer electronics division,” Park said in a prepared statement. “We are thrilled to welcome Tim Baxter to the Samsung family. His exemplary experience and multidisciplinary expertise will be an invaluable asset across the entire range of our consumer electronics products as Samsung prepares to unveil further groundbreaking technological advancements in 2007.”

“I am excited to be part of the Samsung family and have the opportunity to run such an integral piece of the Samsung U.S. business,” added Baxter. “I look forward to continuing to build upon Samsung’s strong market presence which the company created with its innovative products, solid trade partnerships and talented people.”