Samsung Electronics ― working to overhaul its U.S. operations ― is allegedly in talks with Unilever’s senior vice president of global marketing Marc Mathieu to replace its top creative officer.

Ad Age, a U.S.-based magazine, said Wednesday the Unilever executive will replace Todd Pendleton, Samsung’s chief marketing officer in the mobile division who plans to resign in April.

Before joining Unilever in 2011, he also served as brand marketing vice president at Coca-Cola for 12 years. 

Both Samsung and Unilever declined to confirm the new appointment.

The new high-profile hiring comes amid Samsung’s significant overhaul of its U.S. operations as the company faces challenges on the home turf of its archrival Apple along with soaring Chinese runner-ups.

Ad Age said Samsung had already consolidated its three business divisions in the U.S. last year and shifted focus from the fledgling mobile unit to home appliances and connected devices.

Its marketing offices, previously split between Dallas and New Jersey, are also moving to a new Manhattan office in the coming months under the leadership of president Gregory Lee, a former marketer with P&G, Kellogg’s and Johnson & Johnson.

The magazine added that for his new team Lee is scouting top talent from his former industry. He poached Jay Altschuler from Unilever in January to run U.S. media and hired Vince Hudson from P&G, in March last year, for branding strategy.

By Lee Ji-yoon and news reports (jylee@heraldcorp.com)