Kaoru Asano
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
He joined Sysmex in August 1987, became Deputy Director of the Central Research Laboratories in April 2004 and Director of the laboratories in April 2005. He became Executive Officer and Director of the Central Research Laboratories in April 2009, head of R&D Planning in April 2011, and Senior Executive Officer in charge of R&D in April 2013, joining the board in June 2014. He served as COO and CTO of the LS Business Unit from April 2018 and as CTO from April 2021. Whereas his successor Iwane Matsui went through the presidency of Sysmex Europe, Asano rose solely within R&D.
Selection
His predecessor Hisashi Ietsugu had become President in June 1996 and, from April 2013, served as both Chairman and President. In April 2023 Asano became Representative Director and President, and Ietsugu moved to Chairman and Group CEO. It was the first change of president in 27 years, a promotion from Director, Senior Executive Officer and CTO. In the fiscal year ended March 2023, the year before he took office, net sales were ¥410.5 billion and operating income ¥73.7 billion, up from ¥363.8 billion and ¥67.4 billion the previous year.
Initiatives
In October 2023 he opened the R&D base Healthcare Science Hub Tokyo in Koto, Tokyo, and in December made Megakaryon Corporation a subsidiary through an additional share purchase. Overseas, he opened a regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia in May 2024 and a production base for reagents and instruments in India in July. Local subsidiaries were established in Kenya in March 2025 and in Greece in June. Net sales reached ¥508.6 billion in the fiscal year ended March 2025.
Career
Career
Sysmex
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Aug 1987 | Joined |
| Apr 2004 | Deputy General Manager, Chuo Laboratory |
| Apr 2005 | Director, Central Research Laboratory |
| Apr 2009 | Executive Officer, Director, Central Research Laboratory |
| Apr 2011 | Executive Officer, General Manager, Research and Development Planning Headquarters |
| Apr 2013 | Senior Executive Officer, in charge of Research and Development, Director, Central Research Laboratory, Director, Senior Executive Officer |
| Apr 2015 | Director, Managing Executive Officer |
| Apr 2017 | Director, Senior Managing Executive Officer |
| Apr 2018 | Director, Senior Managing Executive Officer, LS Business Unit, COO and CTO |
| Apr 2021 | Director, Senior Managing Executive Officer, CTO |
| Apr 2023 | Representative Director, President |
| Apr 2026 | Stepped down as President |
References 1
References (Japanese primary sources)
- シスメックス 有価証券報告書【役員の状況】