1938년 대구에서 삼성상회를 설립한 이래 삼성전자를 비롯한 많은 기업을 일으켜 국가경제 발전에 크게 이바지하였으며, 1961년에는 한국경제인협회(현 전경련)를 발의하고 초대회장에 추대되었다.
Since the establishment of the Samsung Company in Daegu in 1938, it has contributed greatly for the development of the national economy by founding many companies including Samsung Electronics. In 1961, the Korean Entrepreneurs Association (currently FKI) was initiated and was appointed as the first chairman.