Hajime Sako
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
Born in Hiroshima in 1915, he graduated from the architecture department of Waseda University's School of Science and Engineering in March 1939 and joined the company that April. He joined the board in May 1971, 32 years after joining. He became Managing Director in May 1973 and Representative Director and Senior Managing Director in May 1975, and in June 1977, as Representative Director and Executive Vice President, he also headed the sales division and oversaw the real estate department. Though an architect by training, he spent the two years before becoming President overseeing sales.
Selection
He became Representative Director and President in June 1979. His predecessor, Hideo Sugasawa, stepped back to Chairman that month, and Chikahisa Yuyama, Shinzaburo Himuro and Kyoji Yoshitomi were simultaneously promoted to Representative Director and Executive Vice President. Results had deteriorated before he took office, with ordinary profit falling from ¥27.2 billion in the fiscal year ended March 1975 to ¥11.0 billion in FY ended March 1978. Net sales recovered to ¥654.0 billion in FY ended March 1979, but ordinary profit remained at ¥16.8 billion.
Initiatives
Over six years in office, having inherited the cleanup of subsidiaries and landholdings, he brought net sales from ¥652.7 billion in FY ended March 1980 to ¥968.3 billion in FY ended March 1985 and ordinary profit from ¥19.0 billion to ¥28.4 billion. As of 1982, private-sector work accounted for 65% of orders and negotiated contracts for 60-some percent of building work, and the company championed a move "beyond contracting" by handling projects from planning onward. In 1987, after he became Chairman, an organizational reform folding the design division into sales was carried out, and Sako cited the drawbacks of silos and resistance among department heads as challenges.
Career
Career
Taisei
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| 1939 | Joined |
| 1971 | Director, General Manager, Hiroshima Branch |
| 1973 | Managing Director, General Manager, Osaka Branch |
| 1975 | Senior Managing Director, General Manager, Sales Headquarters |
| 1977 | Executive Vice President |
| Jun 1979 | President |
| 1985 | Chairman |
| Jun 1985 | Stepped down as President |