Samsung vs Travelers: Founders, CEOs and History
Samsung was founded in 1969 by Lee Byung-chul and is led by Jun Young-hyun and Roh Tae-moon. Travelers was founded in 1853 by Eliphalet Terry, Henry R. Fitch and is led by Alan Schnitzer.
Company facts
Founders
Samsung
Lee Byung-chul
Lee Byung-chul founded Samsung Sanghoe in Daegu in 1938, trading dried fish, produce and noodles.
Travelers
Eliphalet Terry
Eliphalet Terry was a Hartford businessman and insurance executive whom the company lists among its founders. He is associated with Hartford's mid-19th-century insurance community that helped launch Travelers.
Henry R. Fitch
Henry R. Fitch (often credited alongside James G. Batterson) helped found the original Travelers Insurance Company in 1864 in Hartford, Connecticut.
CEOs and their tenures
Samsung
- Jong-Hee Han2022–2025
Vice Chairman and CEO
A longtime TV business leader who helped keep Samsung the top global TV brand. He died suddenly in March 2025 while in office.
Source - Jay Y. Lee2022–present
Executive Chairman
Grandson of the founder and son of Lee Kun-hee. He was convicted in the 2017 bribery case and pardoned in 2022, and became Executive Chairman in October 2022. In 2025 the Supreme Court upheld his acquittal in the separate merger and accounting fraud case.
Source - Jun Young-hyun2024–present
Vice Chairman, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Head of Device Solutions
He implemented a complete overhaul of the semiconductor division's engineering processes, issuing a rare public apology in 2024 for the company's technological delays.
Source - Roh Tae-moon (TM Roh)2025–present
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Head of Device eXperience
As head of the MX (Mobile eXperience) division, he heavily integrated AI features (Galaxy AI) into the S-series flagship phones to combat Apple's dominance in the premium tier.
Source
Travelers
- Jay Fishman2004–2015
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Serving as CEO until his tragic death from ALS in 2015, he is universally recognized as the absolute architect of the modern Travelers Companies, deeply cementing its status as a Dow Jones Industrial Average component.
Source - Alan D. Schnitzer2015–present
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Schnitzer joined Travelers in 2007 as general counsel, later ran Business and International Insurance, became CEO in December 2015 and chairman in 2017.
Source - Daniel S. Frey2018–present
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, he provides the absolutely critical financial discipline required to navigate the highly volatile property and casualty insurance market.
Source
Timeline: Samsung and Travelers side by side
1853Travelers
Oldest insurance roots date to 1853
Travelers traces part of its history to insurance organizations dating back to 1853, making it one of the oldest names in U.S. insurance.
1864Travelers
Travelers accident insurance roots
The Travelers name became associated with accident insurance in Hartford during the railroad era, laying the brand foundation for later expansion.
1938Samsung
Samsung Group begins
Lee Byung-chul founded Samsung as a trading company before later generations expanded the group into electronics and industry.
1969Samsung
Samsung Electronics established
Samsung Electronics Industry Co. Ltd. was established as the group entered electronics manufacturing.
1977Samsung
Korea Semiconductor acquired
Samsung acquired Korea Semiconductor, a key step toward memory and component manufacturing leadership.
1993Samsung
New Management initiative
Lee Kun-hee launched the New Management push to raise quality, design, and global competitiveness.
1998Travelers
Travelers Group and Citicorp form Citigroup
Sanford Weill's Travelers Group merged with Citicorp to create Citigroup. The property-casualty business was spun off again in 2002.
2004Travelers
St. Paul and Travelers merger
The merger of The St. Paul Companies and Travelers created a major property and casualty insurer with greater commercial lines scale.
2007Travelers
Renamed The Travelers Companies
St. Paul Travelers reacquired the red umbrella trademark from Citigroup and adopted The Travelers Companies, Inc. name.
2017Samsung
Harman acquisition closes
Samsung completed the Harman acquisition, expanding into connected car systems and premium audio.
2017Travelers
Simply Business acquisition
Travelers acquired Simply Business, expanding digital small-business insurance capabilities.
2022Samsung
Jong-Hee Han becomes CEO
Jong-Hee Han became CEO of Samsung Electronics Co. in 2022. A longtime TV business leader who helped keep Samsung the top global TV brand.
2024Samsung
Jun Young-hyun becomes CEO
Jun Young-hyun became CEO of Samsung Electronics Co. in 2024. Head of the semiconductor (Device Solutions) division and memory business; sole CEO for part of 2025 after Han Jong-hee's death, then co-CEO with TM Roh from November 2025.
2024Travelers
Corvus Insurance acquired
Travelers completed its purchase of cyber insurance specialist Corvus for about $435 million.
2025Samsung
TM Roh joins Young Hyun Jun as co-CEO
Samsung named TM Roh Head of Device eXperience and CEO, joining Young Hyun Jun as co-CEO.
2025Samsung
Annual revenue reaches ~$237B (KRW 333.6T)
Samsung Electronics reported ~$237 billion (KRW 333.6 trillion) in 2025 annual revenue and ~$31 billion (KRW 43.6 trillion) in operating profit.
2025Samsung
Roh Tae-moon (TM Roh) becomes CEO
Roh Tae-moon (TM Roh) became CEO of Samsung Electronics Co. in 2025. Longtime head of the mobile business.
2025Travelers
2025 total revenues reach $48.828B
Travelers reported $48.828 billion in total revenues and $6.288 billion in net income for 2025.
2026Travelers
Canada sale to Definity closes
On January 2, 2026, Travelers completed the sale of its Canadian personal insurance business and most of its Canadian commercial business to Definity for about US$2.4 billion.
2026Travelers
Q2 2026 net income of $2.208B
Second-quarter net income rose to $2.208 billion, with an 83.6% combined ratio and lower catastrophe losses.
Acquisitions
Samsung
- FlaktGroup2025$1.7B
- Xealth2025Undisclosed
- Harman International2017$8B
- SmartThings2014$200M
Travelers
- Corvus Insurance2024$435M
- Simply Business2017$490M
- The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company2013Undisclosed
- USF&G1998Undisclosed
Questions about Samsung vs Travelers
Who is the CEO of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and The Travelers Companies, Inc.?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is led by Jun Young-hyun and Roh Tae-moon and The Travelers Companies, Inc. is led by Alan Schnitzer. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. founded vs The Travelers Companies, Inc.?
The Travelers Companies, Inc. was founded in 1853 — 116 years before Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., which was founded in 1969. The Travelers Companies, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd..
How many employees does Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. have compared to The Travelers Companies, Inc.?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. employs approximately 259,149 people, while The Travelers Companies, Inc. employs approximately 32,500. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has the larger workforce at 259,149 employees, compared to The Travelers Companies, Inc.'s 32,500. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and The Travelers Companies, Inc. headquartered?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is headquartered in South Korea and The Travelers Companies, Inc. is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and The Travelers Companies, Inc.?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. was founded by Lee Byung-chul. The Travelers Companies, Inc. was founded by Eliphalet Terry, Henry R. Fitch.
Which company has a longer operating history — Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. or The Travelers Companies, Inc.?
The Travelers Companies, Inc. has been operating for approximately 173 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has been in operation for around 57 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Samsung vs Travelers overview