Isao Sakamoto
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
After working at NEC, he joined Sumitomo Electric Industries in 1942 and rose through Director, Managing Director, head of the Electric Wire and Cable Division, Senior Managing Director and Executive Vice President to become President in October 1969. An electrical engineering graduate, he came from the technical side that led the core cable business. His former employer NEC was the fourth-largest shareholder with 4.3% as of March 1961, and still the fifth-largest with 4.75% as of September 1974, so the two were close in capital terms as well.
Selection
In October 1969 he succeeded Tsunatoshi Nabeshima as President, whose tenure ended after three years. Under his predecessor, traffic control systems and FPCs had been launched, adding businesses beyond cable. Neither involved commodity copper and aluminum materials; both were systems for social infrastructure and electronic components. The appointment appears to have simply moved up the engineer who, as Executive Vice President, led the Electric Wire and Cable Division.
Initiatives
In 1970 the company started a compound semiconductor business, adding in-house development of electronic materials to the core cable business. Non-consolidated net sales fell from ¥167.0 billion in FY ended March 1971 to ¥152.9 billion in FY ended March 1972, then recovered to ¥173.9 billion in FY ended March 1973. Ordinary profit over the same three years moved from ¥5.4 billion to ¥4.1 billion to ¥8.2 billion. This compound semiconductor business is the only launch during his tenure recorded in the company history in the annual securities reports.
Career
Career
Sumitomo Electric Industries
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| 1942 | Joined |
| Oct 1969 | President |
| Nov 1973 | Chairman |
| Nov 1973 | Stepped down as President |