Samsung North America names new CEO

Samsung has appointed Tim Baxter to serve as president and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America, effective immediately, the company announced Tuesday.

Baxter currently serves as president and CEO of Samsung Electronics America (SEA), and over the past decade he's managed different lines of business for Samsung in the US, such as mobile and consumer electronics. In his new role, he'll continue to oversee all aspects of SEA while overseeing Samsung's long-term North American strategy.

"We have a strong management team in place throughout the region and I look forward to working with them to grow our business while continuing to provide our customers in North America with the products and experiences they have come to expect of the Samsung brand," Baxter said in a statement.

Baxter replaces Gregory Lee, who recently joined Nokia as its Technologies president.

Last month, Baxter touted Samsung's $380 million investment in an advanced appliance manufacturing plant planned for Newberry County, South Carolina. "Our growing U.S. presence is anchored in strong consumer demand" for Samsung products, he wrote in a blog post, noting that Samsung supports more than 18,500 jobs in the US.