Kazuo Furukawa
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
He joined the company in April 1971 and built his career in information and telecommunications, starting from communications equipment development. He became head and CEO of the Information and Telecommunication Systems Group in April 2003, Vice President and Executive Officer that June, Senior Vice President and Executive Officer in April 2004 and Representative Executive Officer and Executive Vice President in April 2005. Up to his predecessor Etsuhiko Shoyama, presidents had come from heavy electrical machinery and power, so a career rooted in information and telecommunications was unusual for a head of Hitachi.
Selection
In April 2006 he succeeded Etsuhiko Shoyama as Representative Executive Officer and President. In the fiscal year ended March 2006, the year before he took office, consolidated net sales were ¥9,464.8 billion, but operating income was only ¥256.0 billion and net income ¥37.3 billion. Hitachi had moved its semiconductor business to Renesas Technology in April 2003 and had just begun reorganizing its social and industrial infrastructure and home appliance subsidiaries, so he appears to have been chosen to carry on that restructuring.
Initiatives
In April 2006 the company split off its social and industrial infrastructure business and integrated it with Hitachi Plant Engineering & Construction, Hitachi Kiden Kogyo and Hitachi Industries to launch Hitachi Plant Technologies. That same month it merged Hitachi Home & Life Solutions and Hitachi Air Conditioning Systems into Hitachi Appliances, and in December it made Clarion a consolidated subsidiary through a tender offer. In July 2007 it split off its nuclear business to establish Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, and in March 2009 also made Hitachi Koki and Hitachi Kokusai Electric consolidated subsidiaries through tender offers.
Career
Career
Hitachi
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Apr 1971 | Joined |
| Apr 2003 | General Manager, Information Communications Group and CEO |
| Jun 2003 | Managing Corporate Executive Officer |
| Apr 2004 | Senior Managing Corporate Executive Officer |
| Apr 2005 | Representative Corporate Executive Officer, Executive Deputy President |
| Apr 2006 | Representative Corporate Executive Officer, Corporate Executive Officer, President |
| Jun 2006 | Representative Corporate Executive Officer, Corporate Executive Officer, President and Director |
| Apr 2009 | Stepped down as President |