Changes afoot at Shiseido as new boss announced

By Andrew MCDOUGALL

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Corporate governance

Hisayuki Suekawa is stepping down for health reasons
Hisayuki Suekawa is stepping down for health reasons
Japanese cosmetics maker Shiseido has announced a new change in corporate officers, as current boss Hisayuki Suekawa will step down at the end of the month.

As of Sunday 31st​ March, 2013, Suekawa will retire as representative Director, President and CEO of the Tokyo-headquartered company, with chairman Shinzo Maeda taking on the former’s roles at the start of April.

Shiseido came to the decision following a meeting of its Board of Directors, and determined the change would take place as soon as possible.

Health reasons

The decision was made after Suekawa offered to resign from the office as President and CEO, as well as the office of director, for reasons of health.

Having retired from these posts, Suekawa is expected to assume the office of Senior Advisor of the company as of April 1, 2013.

Fifty three year old Suekawa has been president since April 2011, whilst Maeda, 66, has been with Shiseido for more than four decades, holding various roles including in its international division.

Not so new…

Having graduated from Keio University, Faculty of Literature in March 1970, he joined Shiseido only a month later.

Twenty six years into his employment, Maeda was appointed as general manager of its New Cosmetic Marketing Department, Cosmetics Marketing Division, before becoming general manager of International Business Department (I) and International Strategic Marketing Department, International in the operations division a year later.

He then served as chief officer of Shiseido’s Asia-Pacific headquarters, as well as roles in marketing, training and corporate planning, before making the step up to director in 2003.

Maeda served as president and CEO for six years until Suekawa came on board in 2011; at which point he was mad chairman of the company.

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