• Alex Cho was 18 years old when he decided to take up ballet, earning a place at Korea National University of Arts within 18 months
• He went on to join Korea’s Universal Ballet, touring the world with the company, and then moved on to dance in Japan and Mexico before joining the Joburg Ballet company and settling in South Africa with his family
• After 18 years of dancing, a recurrent injury prompted Cho to begin a new chapter of his life
• Cho decided to retrain in logistics and joined Samsung Electronics in South Africa. He is an invaluable member of the Logistics department, bringing the same spirit of determination to Samsung that he did to his performances

If there is one word that characterizes Alex Cho’s approach to life, it is perseverance. While he is known for skill in logistics amongst his colleagues, few who work alongside Cho at Samsung Electronics in South Africa would suspect that he was former professional ballet dancer. Yet it is perseverance that underpins both his journey to become a ballet dancer and his decision to join Samsung.

Cho rehearses in the dance studio, during his time in Mexico

First Steps

Cho came to ballet relatively late in life. He was inspired by a childhood friend who had chosen to major in modern dance at a university in Seoul. Upon seeing the wealth of opportunities that this had opened up for his friend, Cho set his heart and mind to becoming a dancer. While many dancers begin early, taking ballet classes at age seven or eight, Cho was already 18 years old. But that didn’t stop Cho from kindling his passion.

“Right from the first day I started, all I did was dance. Other than breaks to eat and sleep, I was out there practicing. While there was some luck involved, I can confidently say that, back then, I was in the studio dancing every waking moment.”

Cho (pictured above, standing, center) channeled his passion into every performance

The path to becoming a ballet dancer involves a lot of practice, but natural talent also has a part to play. Cho may have been late to start, but he was blessed with high-arched feet, long arms and legs, a natural flexibility and physical agility. He had 18 months to achieve his goal.

It was fate. Cho was admitted to the ballet program at the newly-opened Korea National University of Arts, located near the Seoul Arts Center.

Turns of Fate

While Cho’s love for ballet blossomed at university, life was difficult for the young dancer. Though he made it into the dance program, people were quick to remind him of his late start. But Cho persevered and was accepted to the Universal Ballet Company after completing his degree. There, he began his professional dancing career.

“Korea’s Universal Ballet company is famous for its world tours. As a member, I traveled to the U.S., Europe and all over the world, which fueled my desire to experience various cultures. I was working hard towards my next goal – to earn my place in companies outside Korea – but then something happened.”

Cho was diagnosed with a stress fracture. It was also at this time that he had to take a break from dancing to fulfill his mandatory military service* in Korea.

“My stress fracture got better during my military services since I wasn’t using my bones and muscles for dancing. When I finished my services and left the military, I started practicing again. I had to get back in shape and find a new company to work with. I went around the world for auditions – I was willing to dance anywhere.”

Cho performing in Swan Lake, with the Joburg Ballet company

At last, on a visit to Japan for a performance, he landed a spot in a Japanese ballet company. “It wasn’t easy for a number of reasons. First, everything was in Japanese, so I had no choice but to learn it. Thankfully, I was practically fluent within six months. Another challenge was supporting my new family. I had to work other jobs too, both lessons and performances – to make ends meet.” And again, Cho persevered.

After Japan, Cho worked briefly in Mexico, which then led him to the biggest ballet company in South Africa, the Joburg Ballet company. Just 6 months after joining, he became the senior soloist at the company.

“The Joburg Ballet was much better than I could ever have hoped for. But as I started to take part in more and more performances, thanks to the opportunities the company gave me, I was on stage for twice as long. That was when the stress fracture returned.”

A Second Act

It was time for Cho to hang up his ballet shoes after 18 years.

“It was very painful. Ballet was everything to me and my life had revolved around it. But I couldn’t afford to feel discouraged. I had to support my family.”

Cho knew the power of his own perseverance. As he searched for a new career, he saw that there was an opening in the Logistics department of Samsung Electronics in South Africa. Supported by his wife, he turned his attention to learning all the necessary skills to fulfill such a role.

Cho (second right) alongside his colleagues at Samsung Electronics Africa Office, where he is a valued member of the Logistics team

Hard work pays off, as Cho religiously believes, and now he is revered by his colleagues as a ‘god of spreadsheets’ – a skillset he honed with the same kind of passion he exhibited when he first started dancing; expertise in a field where data management plays a key role.

“For 18 years, I danced on many of the world’s greatest stages. I enjoyed it. But then I had to start anew in a field I had no prior knowledge in. As a ballet dancer who knew little about anything else, my new life at Samsung, and the small local office before Samsung that gave me a chance to learn the business, has given me something to focus on as well as a grand stage and a great team of people to work with.”

^{*All male citizens of the Republic of Korea over the age of 18 are required to fulfill military service before they reach 35 years old. When Cho entered service, the term was 2 years – it has since been reduced to 18 months.}

“Craige has been with Samsung for six years, during which time he has become synonymous with Samsung Mobile. His formidable sales skills were a significant asset to the business,” says Sung Yoon, President of Samsung Electronics South and Southern Africa.

Samsung South Africa executive team will be prioritising the management of a smooth transition as we prepare a succession plan. Samsung Electronics remains committed to its loyal clients and valued employees across Southern Africa and will continue providing the high level of quality and service which its stakeholders have come to expect.

Samsung’s industry-first Android-based printing user experience (UX) system, the Samsung Smart UX Centre, has been awarded with an Outstanding Achievement in Innovation Award at the Buyers Laboratory (BLI) Summer 2016 Awards. The BLI Awards assess leading products and recognise those that stand out for a breakthrough in document imaging hardware and software, a unique feature or other noteworthy innovation that moves a specific product class forward.
 
According to Mike van Lier, Director of Enterprise Business Division at Samsung Electronics South Africa, the Smart UX Centre embodies the printing industry’s first ever Android-based system that enables consumers to store, photocopy, print, edit and transfer documents in any form between printer, computer and mobile. “It’s not just a User Interface (UI) platform, but a totally new kind of ecosystem comprising apps, an app centre and development support,” van Lier notes.
 
Jamie Bsales, Director of Office Workflow Solutions Analysis at BLI, said: “The combination of a true Android tablet UI and accessible ‘app store’ by end users, resellers and IT administrators, puts Samsung in the vanguard as multi-functional printer (MFP) makers begin to embrace the app paradigm.”
 
BLI believes the Smart UX Centre to be a highly innovative industry advancement. At the heart of the Smart UX platform is the 10.1-inch Android tablet that functions as the MFP control panel. The panel is extraordinarily easy to use: features and functions are clearly represented by icon tiles that can be tapped to access the sub-menus and settings required to perform a given task. What makes the ecosystem unique, however, is the addition of the Printing App Center. Accessible from the Smart UX panel at the MFP, from a smartphone/tablet, or from a web browser on a PC. This online marketplace offers free and low-cost apps and widgets that enhance and expand the components of the MFP.
 
“Customers should have no trouble finding solutions to boost productivity, streamline daily workflows and realise the full potential of their MFPs,” Bsales added, though Samsung has just scratched the surface of the platform’s possibilities.
 
The Samsung Smart UX Centre is yet another Samsung innovation designed to optimise productivity within a secure, smart workplace,” says van Lier. “Since its debut in 2014, Samsung’s UX Centre has been streamlining print environments in offices around the globe.”
 
For more information visit:
http://www.samsung.com/global/printingmsp/knowledge/Smart-UX-Center.html

In keeping with Samsung’s aim to enrich lives through technology, the Masibambisane High School (MHS) in Delft, Cape Town has become the stage for an ambitious project intended to uplift the prospects of its scholars.

The Samsung Employees Volunteering Programme (SEVP) is exciting not only because it is the first of its kind in South Africa, but also for the difference it can make to the school and its learners. It stems from Samsung’s focus on investing in Africa through its technological leadership.

“As we are living in a digital era, any school, especially in previously disadvantaged areas, will benefit from hands-on experience with technology,” notes Pitso Kekana, Head of Public Affairs and Corporate Citizenship: Africa Regional Headquarters (RHQ) from Samsung South Africa.

“Learners now need to apply for university enrolment online; they need to be able to download information that is not readily available at school and this will only be possible if the learners understand how they can use technology,” he stresses.

Unfortunately, neither Masibambisane High School nor the township in which it is located have been able to fully benefit from living in a digital age and instead have to contend with serious challenges. While the school itself lacks resources with which to uplift the standard of learners’ performance and enhance the quality of teaching, the Delft region is also beset by a lack of jobs and opportunities. These factors prompted Samsung to choose the school as a deserving and relevant school for the SEVP.

Despite the difficulties with which it has to contend, the school still strives to offer academic excellence to its 1 256 students.

“We are grateful to have Samsung involved, as this project will assist us in enabling appropriate learning within this generation where technology is so prevalent,” explains Mr Boesman, the principal of Masibambisane High School. “While we are the only educational facility in this area which focuses on science, maths and technology, it is difficult for us to acquire the equipment needed, and thus we have limited resources to empower our learners with technological and scientific skills. This project will improve our learners’ performance and is going to make teaching much more effective and efficient,” he continues.

Running from the 26th of August until the 3rd of September 2016, the programme is set to see 30volunteers coming from Samsung South Korea, who will provide lessons in certain computer applications that are widely used and often critical in most modern businesses, including Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop. Additionally, students will be able to see e-commerce in action and experience first-hand how an online shopping portal can be established using wimix.com.

The Samsung Employees Volunteering Programme will go a step further, enabling students to not only see the inner workings of a smartphone, but also how these are repaired. Considering the proliferation of smartphones across the continent and the world at large, technical expertise in how to fix a damaged or broken phone is certain to remain an in-demand skill for the foreseeable future. It may also hold the key to enabling students to bridge from their school studies to gainful employment.

Kekana notes that gaining basic smartphone repair skills is an advantage, as it can be learned within a short space of time. “What will be encouraged is that the students continue to learn more to the point when they are accredited by Samsung or a Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college that provides similar training. What we have realised from those who attend these sessions is that they are able to apply the knowledge in real life situations and create employment opportunities for themselves,” he elaborates.

“We need to acknowledge the fact that not every learner is academically minded. Those in grade eight and grade nine need to be empowered with life skills so that they can be responsible citizens and prepared for the working world,” adds Boesman.

While Masibambisane High School will undoubtedly benefit in the short term, the initiative is also intended as a pilot project, with its success serving as the basis for similar initiatives being launched in other areas.

“Apart from helping Masibambisane High School and its learners by actively demonstrating the positive effect that technology can have on their lives, we believe the initiative will also contribute to the community as a whole. This is of paramount importance to Samsung,” concludes Kekana.

Samsung Electronics South Africa notes that in today’s high stakes corporate world, a data breach can cost an enterprise dearly. The damage caused could be financial, it may be reputational, or the news of such a breach may simply scare away potential customers. Whatever the result, a lack of effective mobile security can disrupt an enterprise, but the information should still be accessible to the legitimate user.
 
Smart-devices are particularly attractive to cybercriminals, due to the sheer number in use and the multiple vectors of attack they present, including malicious applications and Web browsing. Companies therefore need to understand the role mobility plays in their organisation and consider the risks it poses to their business.
 
“Samsung is aware of the many security issues raised by mobile devices and this understanding has been integral to the development of Samsung KNOX, a security solution that offers multi-platform interoperability and a built-in, defence-grade security platform. It has been designed to keep business information intact, giving enterprises the opportunity to achieve organisational success in a more connected world,” says Paulo Ferreira, Director of Enterprise Mobility at Samsung Electronics South Africa.
 
According to Ferreira,the mobile security challenge is now at the forefront of business leaders’ thinking. While threats targeting mobile devices have not changed, the severity of the consequences has increased dramatically. “There are still two main causes of data loss on mobile devices: physical device loss and misuse of apps. Since mobile devices are now storing and accessing more-sensitive data, this means that in a scenario where a device falls into the wrong hands and does not have adequate protection, it can be the source of a major data breach,” Ferreira explains.
 
On the other hand, the challenge around the misuse of applications is mainly due to the fact that it is invasive. Often, the application requests permission to access the user’s contact list, personal information and location. Furthermore, many employees use personal file sharing tools with corporate documents. In addition, since applications rely on the cloud, mobile devices running compromised applications will provide a way for hackers to remotely attack public and private clouds and access corporate networks.
 
Other mobile threats include the rapid growth in malware attacks and user error. The former poses a security challenge in that when a device that has been infected by malware connects to a network, not only is the malware able to propagate, but it is also often designed to steal data from devices.
 
In addition, user error is a further challenge. Many users are lax when it comes to securing their devices, using weak passcodes or none at all and not encrypting the data that they contain. Given that mobile devices are routinely lost or stolen, unsecured devices provide offenders with easy access to sensitive data.
 
KNOX is supported by over 120 enterprise mobility management (EMM) providers worldwide and performs with all popular single sign-on (SSO) and virtual private network (VPN) solutions to preserve enterprise legacy IT investments. “Since its launch in 2013, Samsung KNOX has become one of the most robust and trusted mobile security platforms, protecting the device at every layer, from hardware through software to application,” concludes Ferreira.

Samsung South Africa has launched the latest addition to its powerful MX7 Series A3 Colour Multifunction Printer (MFP) series in the local market.
 
The new MultiXpress MX7 Series X7600GX Colour MFP 60 PPM for Business delivers consistent, high-volume printing, reliability and quality. With a high maximum monthly duty of up to 300,000 pages, the X7600GX saves on the time and expense of having to change toner cartridges, drums and developer. Plus, a high-quality Laser Beam Scanning Unit produces consistently sharp prints, with smooth rasterized edges and superb 1,200 × 1,200 dpi image resolution. The wireless option with active near field communication (NFC) means users can be authenticated using an NFC-supported mobile device, while Samsung Mobile Print Pro features provide secure printing and easy Wi-Fi setup and management.
 
“Supported by MX7 series high-performance, cost-effective features and embedded security, the latest MFP offers high-volume and high-quality printing at a controlled total cost of ownership – ideal for price sensitive yet discerning local businesses seeking key components of a smart office environment,” says Mike van Lier, Director of Enterprise Business Division at Samsung Electronics South Africa.
 
In line with high pressure office demands, the X7600GX features a powerful quad-core 1.5 GHz CPU, providing the power and capacity to accomplish print and copy tasks of virtually any size or complexity. It also has the ability to dual-scan up to four pages every second, reducing digital copy processing time while raising productivity.
 
Samsung’s MX7 series allows for smarter working with an intuitive Android-based user experience, access to customised document workflow solutions with Samsung eXtensible Open Architecture (XOA), enterprise-level Samsung Cloud Print for scalability and ease of deployment, as well as and the ability to fix printing issues with the Samsung Smart Diagnostic System App (SPDS).
 
The Samsung SMART UX Centre 2.0 features an intuitive touch-to-print display screen for easy use, and is compatible with various Android-based devices. Custom widgets allow for instant, one-tap access to frequently used functions, and a customisable user interface (UI) can be tailored to your needs and shared with various fleets. Crucially, the series also offers enterprise-level encryption for end-to-end security, even when working remotely. Samsung’s Printing App Centre enables users to easily set up printers by downloading essential apps from a web portal. Options like the Workbook Composer, give users the ability to crop desired content, automatically scan it, and save it for final formatting and editing without needing a PC.
 
“Designed to support enterprise efficiency and cater for the needs of business today, the Samsung MX7 range is built around performance, reliability and important enterprise features,” says van Lier. “In addition to delivering high quality printing, the MX7 range provides for blazing fast performance at a low total cost of ownership (TCO). Samsung also offers businesses 25 customisable options that enable the MX7 Series MFPs to handle and finish more documents in less time.”

Samsung Electronics has announced that Internet of Things (IoT) technologies have become the centre of the group’s strategic focus, with over R17 billion to be invested in IoT research and development over the next four years.
 
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman & CEO Dr. Oh-Hyun Kwon unveiled Samsung’s vision for ‘Human-Centered IoT,’ at a Samsung-hosted forum in Washington, D.C last week. The event, entitled Internet of Things: Transforming the Future, brought together technology industry leaders with policymakers and influencers to discuss the many ways IoT can benefit society and how to tackle the challenges that remain in bringing it to scale.
 
Vice Chairman Kwon called for his peers to “start talking and thinking differently about IoT,” with a human-centered approach, embracing the life-changing possibilities of the technology and working together to bring these benefits to society at-large. “IoT has the potential to change individual lives. If we want innovators everywhere to make use of IoT, we must make sure all tools are available to them. This means technologies that connect to each other, because we know that boundaries around technologies hold back innovation and scale,” he said.
 
As the IoT ecosystem is by nature connected and interwoven, collaboration is vital to promoting this level of openness and interconnection, Samsung believes. In this vein, Vice Chairman Kwon called for cross-sector dialogue and partnerships as well as announced Samsung’s role as a co-founder of the newly launched National IoT Strategy Dialogue.
 
Paulo Ferreira, Director Enterprise Mobility at Samsung South Africa, says Samsung aims for all of its devices to be IoT-enabled by 2020. But IoT cannot succeed in a vacuum, he notes, therefore Samsung is actively promoting cooperation that will result in smart ecosystems in which all devices are intelligent and improve the way people work and live.
 
“We believe that the promise of IoT can only be achieved on an open platform, using open standards, using secure devices and integrating business intelligence and analytics. With Samsung’s SmartThings platform, we are now able to support the convergence of a range of smart devices on an open platform to make the smart home a reality. We will see the integration of smart devices – from fridges to lightbulbs – into the smart home of the future,” Ferreira says.
 
Ferreira explains that the Samsung SmartThings platform supports a collaborative environment where developers and innovators can work together to bring the vision of an IoT-enabled smart world to fruition. “With its IoT software developer toolkits and open APIs, Samsung is providing the resources innovators need to build IoT solutions faster and better,” he concludes.
 
For more information and to join the conversation visit @SamsungDC, #VisionforTech
 
Click Here to download Vice Chairman Kwon’s keynote.