Kao Announces Various Executive Changes

Kao Corporation has announced a slew of planned executive changes, including for the role of chairman of the board, and for president and CEO.

Motoki Ozaki has been proposed as the company’s new chairman of its board. Having been with Kao since 1972, Ozaki has grown through various management and leadership positions until achieving his current position of representative director, president and CEO.

Proposed to take over Ozaki’s role as president and CEO is Michitaka Sawada, who has worked with Kao since 1981. Sawada currently holds the position of executive officer member of the board and vice president of R&D (human health care).

Additionally, as part of the company’s continuing work to improve its corporate governance system, it announced it will increase the number of its outside directors from two to three members, decrease the number of board members from 15 to 10, and reinforce its organization of executive officers by increasing the number from 26 to 28 and establishing four executive officer positions, with the title of senior executive vice president or executive vice president and without concurrent positions on the board. These changes are aimed at reorganizing Kao’s management structure to strengthen supervision and accelerate the execution of business.

Among the positions this will affect are: Tatsuo Takahashi, currently an executive vice president and board member with Kao, as well as president and CEO of Kao Customer Marketing Co., Ltd., has been proposed for the position of representative director, senior executive vice president; current vice president of R&D (beauty research center—skin beauty research) Yoshinori Takema has been proposed as an executive vice president; and Masumi Natsusaka, current executive officer and president of the beauty care business unit, also has been proposed to be promoted to executive vice president. Several other promotions and positions are affected as well.

Also, the term of each office of each director is being shortened from two years to one year.

These changes are to be made effective after the company’s annual meeting of shareholders, set to take place June 28, 2012, and visit Kao’s website to learn more about the new appointments and roles the company is proposing.

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