Hisashi Tsuda
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
In the three years after its launch in November 1945, Nihon Kensetsu Sangyo took in 350 people, including demobilized soldiers and repatriates, from the Sumitomo head office and affiliated companies, bringing staff to 720 at the end of 1948. The largest groups of transferees came from the Sumitomo head office with 159, Sumitomo Metal Industries with 106 and Sumitomo Electric Industries with 32. Hisashi Tsuda belonged to this generation of transferees. After stepping down as President he compiled an account of events from the preparations for the trading business to the change of President, published by Toyo Keizai in 1988 as "My Sumitomo Showa History."
Selection
In 1956 he succeeded Shunya Toji as the third President. In the fiscal year ended March 1956, the year before he took office, revenue was ¥40.4 billion, only four years after the name changed to Sumitomo Shoji. Because the company served as the sales arm of group companies such as Sumitomo Metal Industries and Sumitomo Metal Mining, its products leaned toward steel and nonferrous metals, and it was known in the industry as a "metals trading house." The major shareholders in September 1955 were, in order, Sumitomo Metal Industries, Sumitomo Trust, Sumitomo Chemical and Sumitomo Bank.
Initiatives
In December 1962 the company unified its Osaka and Tokyo sales departments and introduced a commodity division system, opening nine divisions: steel, nonferrous metals, electrical equipment, machinery, agricultural and marine products, chemicals, textiles, materials and fuels, and real estate. Capital was raised from ¥1 billion in December 1956 to ¥10.5 billion in June 1967. The company entered the leasing business in 1963, and in October 1969 set up Sumisho Computer Service in Osaka Prefecture, entering the information services business. In August 1970 it merged with Sogo Boeki.
Career
Career
Sumitomo Corporation
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| 1956 | President |
| 1970 | Stepped down as President |