Tsunatoshi Nabeshima
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
A career employee, he joined Sumitomo Electric Industries in 1933 and rose through Senior Managing Director to President in November 1966. From the administrative side, his background differed from that of his predecessor Kazue Kitagawa, who came up through engineering. His three-year tenure was the shortest of any president. As of March 1961, before he took office, the major shareholders were led by International Standard Electric at 11.9%, followed by Sumitomo Trust and Banking at 9.7%, Sumitomo Life at 5.3% and NEC at 4.3%.
Selection
In November 1966 he succeeded Kazue Kitagawa as President, with Kitagawa moving to Chairman that same month. Under his predecessor, production of electron-beam-irradiated Irrax tubes and wire had begun and products beyond cable had multiplied. The handover, from a career engineer to an administrative Senior Managing Director, appears to have chosen someone to consolidate the expanded businesses.
Initiatives
The company started a traffic control systems business in 1968 and an FPC (flexible printed circuit) business in 1969. Its products expanded beyond cable and its materials into two new areas: systems for social infrastructure and electronic components. Compound semiconductors in 1970 and optical fiber cable in 1974 followed right after these two. These are the two businesses launched during his tenure that appear in the company history in the annual securities reports.
Career
Career
Sumitomo Electric Industries
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| 1933 | Joined |
| Nov 1966 | President |
| Oct 1969 | Stepped down as President |