Uzushige Harada

Profile
Tenure
Mar 1955 – Jun 1992
Years in office
37.3 years
Name in Japanese
原田珍重
Title at appointment
President
Performance in office
Sumitomo Bakelite
Performance in office
FY1954FY1964Change
Revenue¥900million¥12.4billion+1278%
Net margin2%3.2%+1.2pt
Harada
Revenue¥8.2 billionRevenue¥32.3 billionNet margin3.7%Net margin2.8%1952/31955/31960/31965/31970/3
Revenue¥8.2 billionRevenue¥32.3 billionNet margin3.7%Net margin2.8%1952/31955/31960/31965/31970/3
API: /api/4203/financials_history.csv · /api/4203/financials/pl.json
Tenure

Tenure

Background

Born in Hokkaido in 1900, he graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at Kyushu Imperial University in March 1924 and joined Sumitomo Chemical in April of that year. Though from a technical background, his career centered on the parent company side, and he became a Director of Sumitomo Chemical in February 1955. The following month, March, while keeping that post, he also became President of Nippon Bakelite. He was not a career employee raised within the affiliate but a President sent in from Sumitomo Chemical.

Education: Kyushu Imperial University, Faculty of Engineering (now Kyushu University, Faculty of Engineering) (1924)

Selection

March 1955, when he became President, was the month Nippon Bakelite merged with Sumitomo Kakozai Kogyo, another Sumitomo Chemical affiliate, and changed its name to Sumitomo Bakelite. At the end of 1960 Sumitomo Chemical was the largest shareholder, holding 49.8% of the shares issued. Given that he became President the month after joining Sumitomo Chemical's board, the parent appears to have sent him in to carry out the integration of its two affiliates into one.

Initiatives

Sumitomo Bakelite, launched through the merger, was placed in a division of labor in which Sumitomo Chemical handled raw materials and basic chemicals and Sumitomo Bakelite handled downstream molding and processed resins. In line with this division he built up the application development organization, setting up the Central Research Laboratory (basic research laboratory) in January 1962 and opening the Shizuoka Plant in October of that year. He also changed the relationship with the parent during his tenure, resigning as a Director of Sumitomo Chemical in February 1960 to become a corporate auditor. He handed the presidency to Yasumoto Noguchi in February 1965.

Career

Career

Sumitomo Chemical

Date Position
Senior Managing Officer

Sumitomo Bakelite

Date Position
Mar 1955 President
Feb 1965 Stepped down as President
References 3

References (Japanese primary sources)