Akiyoshi Shoji
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
He joined in April 1975 and became Executive Officer in September 2001. He served as Managing Director and head of planning at Asahi Soft Drinks from March 2003, and advanced to Managing Director and Managing Executive Officer in March 2007. From July 2011 he spent four years and eight months as Representative Director and President of the operating company Asahi Breweries, moving from there to the presidency of the holding company. He had run operating companies in both soft drinks and alcoholic beverages.
Selection
In March 2016 he succeeded Naoki Izumiya as Representative Director, President and COO. The promotion came 41 years after he joined in 1975 and after four years and eight months as president of Asahi Breweries. In the fiscal year ended December 2015, the year before he took office, revenue was ¥1,857.4 billion and operating income ¥135.1 billion, up in both from ¥1,785.4 billion and ¥128.3 billion the previous year. In March 2018 he also became CEO, holding both president and CEO roles himself. The appointment appears to have placed a former operating-company president at the top during a period of continued acquisitions in Europe.
Initiatives
In 2017 the company acquired the former SABMiller's Central and Eastern European beer business, making Europe its third pillar. In 2019 it acquired Carlton & United Breweries of Australia. Revenue grew from ¥1,890.3 billion in the FY ended December 2016 to ¥2,089.0 billion in the FY ended December 2019, and operating income from ¥136.9 billion to ¥201.4 billion. Headcount also rose from 23,619 to 29,327. In the FY ended December 2020 revenue fell to ¥2,027.7 billion and operating income to ¥135.2 billion.
Career
Career
Asahi Group Holdings
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Apr 1975 | Joined |
| Sep 2001 | Executive Officer |
| Mar 2003 | Managing Director, General Manager, Planning Headquarters, Asahi Beverage |
| Mar 2007 | Managing Director and Managing Executive Officer |
| Jul 2011 | Representative Director, President, Asahi Breweries |
| Mar 2016 | Representative Director, President and COO |
| Mar 2018 | Representative Director, President and CEO |
| Mar 2021 | Chairman |
| Mar 2021 | Stepped down as President |
References 1
References (Japanese primary sources)
- アサヒグループホールディングス 有価証券報告書【役員の状況】