Bunzo Watanabe
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
He was born in Tokyo in 1907, graduated from Tokyo University of Commerce in 1930 and joined Ajinomoto. He advanced to Director in 1949 and Managing Director in November 1959, taking 19 years from joining to reach the board. He also served as a director of Showa Sangyo from 1962 and Morishita Pharmaceutical from 1963, and became Executive Vice President of Ajinomoto in May 1965. From February 1968 he was also President of Toyo Seiyu. He had served as an officer of edible oil and flour milling companies.
Selection
In May 1973 he succeeded Kyoji Suzuki as President. Kyoji Suzuki moved to Chairman that same month and remained a representative director. From May 1975 Saburosuke Suzuki served as Chairman. Bunzo Watanabe was promoted after eight years as executive vice president from May 1965. In the FY ended March 1973, before he took office, non-consolidated net sales were ¥145.2 billion and ordinary income ¥8.0 billion, up in both from ¥134.7 billion and ¥6.0 billion the previous year.
Initiatives
Non-consolidated net sales grew 1.8-fold in two years, from ¥145.2 billion in the FY ended March 1973 to ¥258.8 billion in the FY ended March 1975. In the FY ended March 1975 non-consolidated sales were composed of oils and fats at 28%, seasonings at 24%, foods at 21% and feed products at 15%, with seasonings slipping from first place. The share of seasonings, 59.0% in the FY ended March 1961, fell to about 40% of that level in 14 years. In the FY ended March 1978 consolidated net sales were ¥357.7 billion, operating income ¥10.9 billion and net income ¥8.2 billion.
Career
Career
Ajinomoto
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| 1930 | Joined |
| 1949 | Director |
| 1959 | Managing Director |
| 1965 | Executive Vice President |
| May 1973 | President |
| Jun 1981 | Stepped down as President |