New management initiative by Lee Kun-hee ("Change Everything Except Your Wife")

Lee Kun-hee’s legendary “Change everything except your wife and children” declaration was delivered during a pivotal New Management initiative held in Frankfurt, Germany, officially on June 7–9, 1993. Over a three-day executive retreat at the Falkenstein Grand Kempinski Hotel, Lee called for a revolutionary transformation of Samsung’s corporate culture—emphasizing quality and innovation over quantity and c This moment, often referred to as the Frankfurt Declaration, marked the origin of Samsung’s “New Management” strategy. Lee’s message—“Change everything except your wife and children”—became the rallying cry for an organizational overhaul that ultimately vaulted Samsung to global leadership in high-end electronics and semiconductors . Would you like details on how the initiative unfolded afterward or its long-term impacts?