Takeo Maeda
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
He joined the predecessor Precision Optical Industry Laboratory in May 1934 and became Executive Vice President in February 1966. In August 1974, when founding President Takeshi Mitarai stepped back to Representative Director and Chairman, he moved up from Executive Vice President to President. The company had entered office equipment with an electronic desktop calculator in October 1964, moved into plain-paper copiers with the NP System in 1968 and changed its name to Canon Inc. in March 1969.
Selection
In August 1974 he succeeded Takeshi Mitarai as President. Mitarai had served as President for 32 years from 1942, making this the first change of President since the company's founding. The price competition of the 1970s had eroded the profitability of the calculator business, and in early 1972 the company's diversification strategy was described as lacking a decisive edge. The appointment handed the post vacated by the founder to an Executive Vice President who had been with the company since its laboratory days.
Initiatives
His tenure lasted about three years, from August 1974 to May 1977, ending with his death in office. In May 1975 the company succeeded in developing a laser printer. Lacking its own sales strength in copiers, the company chose to license its patents to eager foreign companies and earn royalties, and from 1977 its copier royalty income exceeded its payments. Non-consolidated net sales grew from ¥71.4 billion in the fiscal year ended December 1974 to ¥101.9 billion in the FY ended December 1976.
Career
Career
Canon
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| May 1934 | Joined |
| Feb 1966 | Executive Vice President |
| Aug 1974 | Representative Director, President |
| May 1977 | Died in office |
| Jun 1977 | Stepped down as President |