Battery-maker bets on ESS growth, premium EV batteries to drive recovery Choi Joo-sun, president and CEO of Samsung SDI (Samsung SDI) Samsung SDI CEO Choi Joo-sun said Wednesday that the battery-maker expects to achieve an earnings turnaround this year, as the company seeks to regain momentum through energy storage systems and premium electric vehicle batteries."Over the past year, we have steadily strengthened the fundamentals of our business with a mindset of 'pessimistic optimism,' laying the groundwork for a renewed leap forward," he said at a ceremony marking the company's 56th anniversary at its headquarters in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province."As promised earlier this year, we expect an earnings turnaround to be achievable this year," he said.Choi had earlier pledged at the company’s annual shareholders meeting in March to make 2026 the "the first year of a turnaround" and achieve a return to quarterly operating profit in the second half.The CEO cited a series of recent achievements, including securing new ESS projects and expanding battery supply agreements with global premium EV makers. He also said the company is working to restore the core competitiveness of the cylindrical battery business.Choi added that the company is proactively meeting demand for high-value products, including advanced semiconductor packaging materials and high-resolution, high-efficiency display materials.Still, he cautioned employees that the company has work to do."There is still a long way to go," he said. "Consistent execution is essential for these achievements to translate into sustainable growth.Choi urged employees to actively use artificial intelligence across all areas of their work."AI is already embedded in many aspects of our daily lives," he said. "To secure a leading position in future markets, Samsung SDI must fully transform itself into a true AI-native company."He emphasized that agentic AI represents a "paradigm shift" that fundamentally changes the way work is done and how business models are built."By boldly riding this wave of change, we can once again become a company with top tier technological capabilities."