SOFTBANK - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Board Director
- External Board Director, Independent Officer
Performing research into artificial intelligence (AI) over many years, Board Director Yutaka Matsuo was a visiting scholar at Stanford University in August 2005 and, in April 2019, became a professor at the Graduate School of Engineering of the University of Tokyo. He has extensive knowledge and experience as a leading expert on AI, having served as a member of Government-led working groups. Although Board Director Matsuo does not have management experience, the Board believes that through his high level of expertise he can properly perform his duties as an External Board Director of SBG.
In addition to offering advice on SBG's long-term group strategies and playing a vital role in business judgments and decision-making processes at the Board, Board Director Matsuo has also expressed views from the standpoint of minority shareholders of SBG. Also at the voluntary Nominating & Compensation Committee, he has made objective comments from an independent perspective as a member of the committee, and thus made significant contributions to the improvement of enterprise value of SBG through the supervisory function.
SBG expects that Board Director Matsuo will use his wealth of knowledge and experience to supervise SBG and offer advice, and has therefore reappointed him as an External Board Director for the further growth of the Company.
Job Titles:
- Board Director
- Data Board Director
- External Board Director, Independent Officer
Since founding KOEI Co., Ltd. (currently KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.), Board Director Keiko Erikawa has played a vital role in developing and strengthening the business foundation of the KOEI TECMO Group as a corporate manager and a finance manager, and therefore has extensive knowledge and experience related to corporate management and technology. In addition to offering advice on SBG's long-term group strategies and playing a vital role in business judgments and decision-making processes at the Board, Board Director Erikawa has also expressed views from the standpoint of minority shareholders of SBG thus made significant contributions to the improvement of enterprise value of SBG through the supervisory function.
SBG expects that Board Director Erikawa will use her wealth of knowledge and experience to supervise SBG and offer advice, and has therefore reappointed her as an External Board Director for the further growth of the Company.
Job Titles:
- Board Director
- Board Director / Ken Miyauchi
Job Titles:
- Representative Director
- Corporate Officer, Senior Vice President, CFO & CISO / Head of Finance Unit / Head of Administration Unit
- Representative Director, Corporate Officer, Chairman & CEO
Masayoshi Son founded SOFTBANK Corp. Japan (currently SoftBank Group Corp.) in 1981 and has continued to serve as its chairman & CEO.
Job Titles:
- Board Director
- External Board Director, Independent Officer
After joining Apple Computer, Inc. in June 1989, Board Director David Chao was instrumental in the company's rapid growth and also managed the company's startup investment portfolio in the U.S. After joining McKinsey & Company in August 1993, Board Director Chao worked in the telecommunications and software industries, where he was involved in technology, marketing, and financial strategy development projects. Thereafter, having co-founded Japan Communications Inc. in May 1996, where he served as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and Director, before becoming Co-Founder & General Partner of Doll Capital Management, Inc. (DCM Ventures) in January 1997, Board Director Chao has extensive knowledge and experience in investment, business management, and technology.
SBG expects that Board Director Chao will use his wealth of knowledge and experience to supervise SBG and offer advice, and has therefore appointed him as an External Board Director for the further growth of the Company.
Job Titles:
- Audit & Supervisory Board Member
- External Audit & Supervisory Board Member, Independent Officer
Audit & Supervisory Board Member Keiichi Otsuka has extensive knowledge and experience as a certified public accountant. SBG appointed him as an External Audit & Supervisory Board Member in June 2021 to have him conduct audits from a professional standpoint based on his knowledge and experience and to ensure that audits are conducted from a more independent standpoint. Although Audit & Supervisory Board Member Otsuka does not have management experience other than as an external officer, SBG believes that through his high level of expertise he can properly perform audits of SBG as an External Audit & Supervisory Board Member of SBG.
Job Titles:
- Board Director
- External Board Director
- Managing Partner of Morrison & Foerster Tokyo Office
After joining Morrison & Foerster LLP in August 1986, Board Director Kenneth A. Siegel became Managing Partner of Morrison & Foerster Tokyo Office (Morrison & Foerster Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi Jimusho) in August 1996, and assumed the position of Board Director, Member of Executive Committee of Morrison & Foerster LLP in January 2009. Having engaged in corporate acquisitions, joint venture deals, and strategic alliances, Board Director Siegel has extensive knowledge and experience as a lawyer. In addition to offering advice on SBG's long-term group strategies and playing a vital role in business judgments and decision-making processes at the Board, Board Director Siegel has also expressed views from the standpoint of minority shareholders of SBG thus made significant contributions to the improvement of enterprise value of SBG through the supervisory function.
SBG expects that Board Director Siegel will use his wealth of knowledge and experience to supervise SBG and offer advice, and has therefore reappointed him as an External Board Director for the further growth of the Company.
Job Titles:
- External Board Director, Independent Officer
After assuming the position of Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of MITSUI & CO., LTD. in April 2009, Board Director Masami Iijima led the company's management for six years and played a major role in its growth. In April 2015, he became Representative Director, Chairman of the Board of Directors of MITSUI & CO., LTD. He has extensive knowledge and experience related to corporate management and corporate governance, including contributions to management oversight and improvement of the effectiveness of the Board of Directors.
Board Director Iijima has offered advice on SBG's long-term group strategies and played a vital role in business judgments and decision-making processes at the Board.
He has also expressed views from the standpoint of minority shareholders of SBG, led development of objective discussions from an independent perspective as Chairperson of the voluntary Nominating & Compensation Committee, and thus made significant contributions to the improvement of enterprise value of SBG through the supervisory function.
SBG expects that Board Director Iijima will use his wealth of knowledge and experience to supervise SBG and offer advice, and has therefore reappointed him as an External Board Director for the further growth of the Company.
Audit & Supervisory Board Member. Maurice Atsushi Toyama has extensive knowledge and experience as a certified public accountant of the State of California, U.S. SBG designated him as an External Audit & Supervisory Board Member in June 2015 to leverage his knowledge and experience to perform audits from a specialist perspective and to ensure a more independent perspective in the audits.
Job Titles:
- Audit & Supervisory Board Member
- External Audit & Supervisory Board Member
Audit & Supervisory Board Member Soichiro Uno has extensive knowledge and experience as an attorney-at-law.. SBG appointed him as an External Audit & Supervisory Board Member in June 2004 to have him audit from an expert standpoint based on his knowledge and experience and to ensure audits are conducted from an independent perspective. Although Audit & Supervisory Board Member Uno does not have management experience other than in the capacity as an officer, SBG believes that through his high level of expertise he can properly perform his duties as an External Audit & Supervisory Board Member of SBG.
Job Titles:
- Audit & Supervisory Board Member
Audit & Supervisory Board Member Yuji Nakata has extensive knowledge and experience related to corporate management and risk management, having served as Representative Executive Officer and a risk management manager at financial institutions. SBG appointed him as an External Audit & Supervisory Board Member in June 2021 to have him conduct audits from a fair and objective standpoint based on his knowledge and experience and to ensure that audits are conducted from a more independent standpoint.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Officer, Head of CFO Office, Finance Unit
Job Titles:
- Board Director
- Corporate Officer
- Senior Vice President
- Board Director, Corporate Officer, Senior Vice President, CFO & CISO