Hiro Hiyama
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
He joined Daido Boeki in 1932, became a Director in 1952 and Managing Director in 1957. Marubeni merged with Takashimaya Iida in September 1955 and changed its name to Marubeni-Iida, and Hiyama later rose to Executive Vice President. He was a career employee who kept rising at a time when the company's trading rights were expanding beyond textiles into machinery and metals.
Selection
In May 1964 he succeeded Shinobu Ichikawa as President, with Ichikawa becoming Chairman. In the fiscal year ended March 1963, the year before he took office, revenue was ¥764.0 billion and ordinary income ¥3.1 billion. In the first half of 1961 the company led C. Itoh by ¥40.0 billion in non-textile sales, and at a stage of growing the machinery and metals trading rights gained by absorbing Takashimaya Iida, the post went to an Executive Vice President promoted from within.
Initiatives
In 1966 the company merged with Totsu to strengthen its steel business. In July 1972 it changed its name back to Marubeni Corporation. In May 1973 the Yomiuri Shimbun reported that in the fiscal year ended March 1973 Marubeni had earned ¥5.4 billion and Nissho Iwai ¥2.8 billion in operating profit from timber trading, criticizing the trading companies' speculative practices. In 1976, after he stepped down, Marubeni was at the center of the Lockheed scandal over bribery in aircraft purchases.
Career
Career
Marubeni
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| 1932 | 東京商科大学専門部を卒業し大同貿易に入社 (translation pending) |
| 1952 | Director |
| 1957 | Managing Officer |
| May 1964 | President |
| May 1975 | Chairman |
| May 1975 | Stepped down as President |