Signal Samsung lifted foundry sales after widening its supplier base beyond Asia

Summary

McKinsey uses Samsung as an example of how adapting to geopolitical realities can protect and grow value. To reduce risks tied to tensions in Asia, Samsung broadened its supplier base into the United States and Vietnam. The company subsequently saw its foundry sales rise, which the report offers as evidence that such moves can pay off. McKinsey places the case under the first benefit of geopolitical flexibility, namely protecting existing value while opening new growth opportunities. It argues that aligning operations with geopolitical conditions enables better global resource allocation, smarter market entry, and the ability to move before competitors. Technology such as AI and data analytics is described as an enabler of the real-time scenario planning behind these decisions.