Kenzo Obata
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture, he graduated from the Faculty of Economics at Kyoto University in 1933 and joined Asahi Chemical Industry in January 1934. He became a Director of that company in March 1947, Managing Director in May of that year and Senior Managing Director in July 1961, gaining nearly 30 years of experience running a chemical manufacturer. Sekisui Chemical and Asahi Chemical Industry both trace their roots to Nippon Chisso Hiryo, and Kenzo Obata was brought in from a neighboring company of the same Nitchitsu lineage.
Selection
After aggressive management that extended to setting up a string of subsidiaries, Sekisui Chemical met with collapse in 1965, and Kenzo Obata was sent in from Asahi Chemical Industry, of the former Nippon Chisso group, to rebuild it. His predecessor Jiroo Ueno became Chairman without representative authority in February 1966. Obata was brought in as an adviser in January 1965 and became Representative Director and President in February 1966. He was not a career employee; the appointment called in an outsider to carry out the turnaround.
Initiatives
While pushing ahead with the sale and liquidation of unprofitable divisions, in July 1967 he carried out a capital reduction that cut the company's capital in half, and within two years he had written off the debts and restored dividends. Near the end of his tenure, with the financial rebuilding complete, the company entered housing in February 1971 by launching the steel-frame unit house Sekisui Heim. This decision, which turned resin processing technology built up in PVC pipes and molded products toward a final consumer product, led to the later three-pillar structure. He moved to Representative Director and Chairman in May 1971.
Career
Career
Asahi Chemical Industry
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Jan 1934 | Joined |
| Mar 1947 | Director |
| May 1947 | Managing Director |
| Jul 1961 | Senior Managing Director |
| May 1967 | Audit & Supervisory Board Member |
Sekisui Chemical
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Jan 1965 | Advisor |
| Feb 1966 | Representative Director, President |
| May 1971 | Representative Director, Chairman |
Unitika
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| May 1972 | Representative Director, President |
| Mar 1974 | Chairman |
References 5
References (Japanese primary sources)
- 日本企業要覧 1966年版
- 日本企業要覧 1971年版
- 日本企業要覧 1981年版
- 日外アソシエーツ「20世紀日本人名事典」（2004年刊）「小幡 謙三 オバタ ケンゾウ」
- 講談社「デジタル版 日本人名大辞典+Plus」「小幡謙三 おばた-けんぞう」