Norio Ichikawa
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
He joined Zojirushi in April 1981, became General Manager of Product Development Department No. 1 in February 1997 and a Director and General Manager of that department in February 1998. He is a career employee who rose to the board through product development. Among the major shareholders in the fiscal year ended November 2025 he ranked second with 8.5%, and three individuals with the Ichikawa surname together held 9.96%. He combines the role of running the company with the backing of a shareholding.
Selection
In February 2001 he rose from Director and General Manager of Product Development Department No. 1 to Representative Director and President, three years after becoming a Director and 20 years after joining. The appointment placed the head of product development in the President's seat. He has served as President for 25 years from then through 2026, with his title changing to Representative Director, President and Executive Officer in February 2020.
Initiatives
Sales grew from ¥62.9 billion in the fiscal year ended November 2012 to ¥89.8 billion in the FY ended November 2015, with operating income reaching ¥10.2 billion. They then fell to ¥74.9 billion and ¥5.4 billion in the FY ended November 2020, before recovering to sales of ¥91.2 billion and operating income of ¥7.4 billion in the FY ended November 2025. In 2025 the company decided not to renew its takeover defense measures and switched to returning cash to shareholders through share buybacks and higher dividends.
Career
Career
Zojirushi
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Apr 1981 | Joined |
| Feb 1997 | General Manager, Merchandise First Development Department |
| Feb 1998 | Director, General Manager, Merchandise First Development Department |
| Feb 2001 | Representative Director, President |
| Feb 2005 | 新象製造廠有限公司董事長 (translation pending) |
| Feb 2010 | Representative Director, President and General Manager, Sales Headquarters |
| Nov 2012 | Representative Director, President |
| Feb 2020 | Representative Director, President, Executive Officer |
References 1
References (Japanese primary sources)
- 象印マホービン 有価証券報告書【役員の状況】