Samsung Electronics has promoted a female executive to president of global marketing for its mobile business, the first time that a woman outside the company’s founding family has been promoted to a top position.

On Monday, the company announced that Lee Young-hee, the head of the global marketing center under the tech giant's Device eXperience (DX) division that oversees its mobile business, had been named the new president of the unit.

Samsung said the promotion of Lee was due to her capability and achievements, and the move is expected to be a morale booster for the company’s talented female workers and encourage them to further their careers, which is part of the company's vision for future growth .

Lee, who previously worked at L'Oreal, joined Samsung in 2007. She is credited with successfully promoting the image and brand of Samsung's Galaxy mobile phones.

Six others were promoted as new presidents in the first round of reshuffling since the group's de facto leader Lee Jae-yong became the executive chairman of the tech giant in October.

The current co-CEO leadership of Han Jong-hee and Kyung Kye-hyun, meanwhile, will remain in place to maintain management stability.