Samsung Display Leader on Tech That Solves Problems

Dr. Niklas Richter · 2026-03-24

Ever feel like you're drowning in tech specs? Like the latest gadget is just more noise? I sat down with Evert Van Camp, who's led Samsung's Display division for the Benelux region for over a decade, to cut through that noise. We didn't talk about pixels or refresh rates. Instead, we talked about something far more important: how technology only matters when it actually works for people. Evert has a front-row seat to a massive shift. It's not about selling a better product anymore. It's about providing the right solution. That's the real conversation. ### Why a Screen Alone is Worthless Think about it. A display sitting in a box? It's just glass and circuits. Its value is zero until it's placed in the right context. Evert explained that the magic happens when you ask, "What problem does this solve for this person, in this place?" Is it helping a retail manager track inventory faster? Is it allowing a doctor to see a critical scan more clearly? That's where the value is created. We're moving past the era where hardware specs were the king. Now, the application, the environment, and the business logic behind it all are what truly matter. A 4K screen in the wrong spot is just a waste of money. ### The Partner-First Philosophy Here's something that surprised me. Samsung, a global giant, doesn't sell directly to B2B clients. They go all-in on partners. Why? Because partners understand the local landscape. They know the specific challenges a business in Chicago faces versus one in Miami. They can tailor the solution. Samsung provides the technology canvas; the partners paint the picture that fits their client's wall perfectly. This philosophy extends to how they view the product itself. Displays are evolving from being a simple cost on a balance sheet to a genuine revenue driver. A digital menu board that upsells, a wayfinding screen that improves customer experience—these aren't expenses. They're investments that pay back. ### Beyond Hardware: Leadership and Listening Our conversation naturally flowed from screens to teams. How do you lead in this solution-focused world? Evert emphasized listening. Real, active listening within teams. Performance reviews shouldn't be a dreaded annual event but part of an ongoing dialogue about growth and context. Innovation, he argues, shouldn't mean adding complexity. It's about elegant simplicity. It's about staying relevant, not just piling on more features. Sometimes, the most innovative thing you can do is remove a step, not add one. He's particularly excited about technologies like e-paper. Not as a gadget, but as the potential beginning of truly paperless communication—reducing waste and clutter in offices and public spaces. As Evert put it: > "This isn't a product pitch. It's a simple truth: technology only counts when it works. In the right environment. For the right people." That's the takeaway. Before you buy any new tech, ask yourself the hard question. What problem am I actually trying to solve? The answer will guide you better than any spec sheet ever could. - **Focus on Solutions, Not Specs:** Value is created in application, not in the box. - **Context is King:** The environment and user need define the right technology. - **Partners Provide the Fit:** Deep local knowledge tailors global tech to specific problems. - **Innovate Simply:** Relevance often means streamlining, not complicating. - **Listen to Your Team:** Leadership in tech requires understanding people first.